Chromatographic Methods for Determining Free Bisphenol A in Technical and Food Products

A brief overview of chromatographic methods for determining free bisphenol A (BPA) in technical and food products is presented. Bisphenol A is used as a monomer in the production of some plastics and epoxy resins. The concentration of free BPA may exceed the permissible level in food plastic containers and in food products packaged in these containers. The maximum permissible concentration of BPA in water, in water bodies of domestic and drinking water and in cultural and household water use is 0.1 mg/dm³. In European countries, the migration value of BPA for plastics in contact with food products is 0.6 mg/kg. Gas chromatography with preliminary derivatization by the silylation or acylation of the analyte is most often used to determine BPA in plastics, food products, and biological fluids. Direct determination methods have been developed using gas-liquid chromatography on heat-resistant columns. Flame ionization, fluorometric, and mass-selective detectors are used as detection devices. HPLC with optical and mass-selective detectors is used to determine BPA. Thin-layer chromatography has also been used for determining BPA. Solid-phase extraction, liquid−liquid extraction, dispersive liquid−liquid microextraction, and a combined extraction method with separation in acetonitrile (QuEChERS) are used in BPA sample preparation.