Detection of bisphenol A in food packaging based on fluorescent conjugated polymer PPESO3 and enzyme system

Water-based green deep eutectic solvent: Application in liquid-liquid microextraction of trace bisphenol A in edible oils

In this study, tetrabutylammonium chloride (TBAC), tetrabutylammonium bromide (TBAB), and choline chloride (ChCl) were innovatively applied in the liquid-liquid microextraction (LLME) of bisphenol A (BPA) from edible oil by forming water-based deep eutectic solvent (WDES). The presence of water is not only used in the synthesis of WDES, but also modulates the viscosity of DES and improve its diffusion and mass transfer properties. Several crucial parameters affecting the extraction efficiency were examined, including the type and amount of WDES and the extraction time. The results indicated that TBAC-H2O (molar ratio 1: 5) WDES exhibited the best extraction ability, the optimal extractant dosage was 100 μL and the extraction time was 3 min. Under the optimized experimental conditions, the proposed method showed a low detection limit (0.2 ng mL-1), good linearity (R2 = 0.997), precisions (RSDs ≤5.1 %) and was successfully employed to detect BPA in edible oil with excellent recoveries (90.6-102.6 %). The formation of the WDES was confirmed by 1H NMR, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The extraction mechanism was explored through theoretical calculations and Attenuated Total Reflection Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) analysis. The results revealed that the separation of BPA by WDESs was primarily dominated by hydrogen bonds, and the hydrogen bond interaction between TBAC-BPA was stronger than that of TBAB-BPA and ChCl-BPA. This work provides a valuable reference for the determination of trace BPA in edible oils or similar samples in food safety monitoring and screening.

Bisphenol A release from CAD/CAM splint materials

This study aimed to investigate the bisphenol A (BPA) release from four CAD/CAM splint materials: three polycarbonate-based (DD BioSplint C, Splint Plus Biostar, Temp Premium Flexible) and one polymethylmethacrylate-based (Temp Basic) material. From each material, ten cylindrical samples (n = 40) were immersed in high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) grade water following ISO 10993-12 and incubated for 24 h in an incubation shaker at 37°C and 112 rpm. Following BPA derivatization, analysis was performed by high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). After 24 h of incubation, all investigated materials released significant amounts of BPA compared to water blanks. The material-dependent elution increased in the following order: DD BioSplint C < Splint Plus Biostar < Temp Basic < Temp Premium Flexible. Subtracting extraneous BPA, the concentrations ranged between 2.27 ng/mL and 12.65 ng/mL. After extrapolating the concentrations in relation to the average surface area of occlusal splints, the amount of BPA per mL exceeded the Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI) set by the European Union for a person weighing 70 kg by 1.32-6.16 times. Contrary to the release from previously investigated materials, BPA elution from CAD/CAM splint materials was highly elevated. Considering the increasing adaptation of CAD/CAM techniques, elution from them may represent a relevant BPA source in daily dental practice.

Acid induced dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction based on in situ formation of hydrophobic deep eutectic solvents for the extraction of bisphenol A and alkylphenols in water and beverage samples

This study describes the development of an acid induced dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction method based on the in situ formation of hydrophobic deep eutectic solvents for the extraction of bisphenol A and alkylphenols from environmental water and beverage samples. Hydrochloric acid altered the hydrophilic-hydrophobic state of fatty acid salts to obtain hydrophobic fatty acids, which formed hydrophobic deep eutectic solvents with analytes in situ to extract the analytes. Under optimized conditions, the limits of detection and limits of quantitation were 0.03-0.1 μg L-1 and 0.12-0.3 μg L-1, the intraday and interday relative standard deviations were less than 3.9 %, and the enrichment factor was 29-32. The recoveries of bisphenol A and alkylphenols were 95.9-104.9 % and 86.9-105.0 %, respectively. The extraction process used only hydrochloric acid and fatty acid salts, and the extraction process required less than 1 min. This method has the advantages of simplicity, speed, low cost and environmental friendliness.

A sensitive and fast approach for voltammetric analysis of bisphenol a as a toxic compound in food products using a Pt-SWCNTs/ionic liquid modified sensor

A sensitive and fast approach has been introduced for the voltammetric sensing of bisphenol A based on modification of a paste electrode with Pt-SWCNTs and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium n-butylsulfate as a highly conductive binder. The new sensor was used to determine the concentration of bisphenol A in food products in I-V mode. The Pt-SWCNTs nanocomposite was synthesized through the polyol method and its morphology was evaluated by field emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy techniques. The determining factors influencing the sensing performance, i.e., pH and mediators used in the modification process were optimized in the first step and the results showed that at a pH of 7.0, a modified paste containing 9% (w:w) nanocomposite and 20% (v:v) 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium n-butylsulfate formed catalytic properties enhancing the oxidation signal of bisphenol A by 5.9 folds. Current density investigation clearly confirmed the conductivity of Pt-SWCNTs and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium n-butylsulfate in the paste matrix. In addition, fabricated sensor showed considerable sensing behavior for bisphenol A in the concentration range of 0.5 nM-180 μM with a detection limit of 0.2 nM. In the final step, using standard addition technique, the ability of fabricated sensor for sensing bisphenol A in food products was evaluated, and the results confirmed improved performance of the modified electrodes.

Recent Trends in the Analysis of Chemical Contaminants in Beverages

Chemical contaminants should not be present in beverages for human consumption, but could eventually be ingested by consumers as they may appear naturally from the environment or be produced by anthropogenic sources. These contaminants could belong to many different chemical sources, including heavy metals, amines, bisphenols, phthalates, pesticides, perfluorinated compounds, inks, ethyl carbamate, and others. It is well known that these hazardous chemicals in beverages can represent a severe threat by the potential risk of generating diseases to humans if no strict quality control is applied during beverages processing. This review compiles the most updated knowledge of the presence of potential contaminants in various types of beverages (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic), as well as in their containers, to prevent undesired migration. Special attention is given to the extraction and pre-concentration techniques applied to these samples, as well as to the analytical techniques necessary for the determination of chemicals with a potential contaminant effect. Finally, an overview of the current legislation is carried out, as well as future trends of research in this field.

Detection of Nonylphenol with a Gold-Nanoparticle-Based Small-Molecule Sensing System Using an ssDNA Aptamer

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) threaten many kinds of life throughout the world. These compounds function the same as sexual hormones, inducing precocious puberty, gynecomastia, etc., in the human body. To prevent excess exposure to nonylphenol (NP), a simple and rapid detection system is needed. In this study, we develop a nonylphenol-specific aptamer from a random single-stranded DNA library and test a rapid sensor system based on the aptamer and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). The aptamer was screened by a methodology involving reduced graphene oxide (rGO). As a result of screening and sequencing, a DNA aptamer was developed that recognizes the target with high binding affinity (K_d = 194.2 ± 65.9 nM) and specificity. The sensor system developed using the aptamer and gold nanoparticles is sensitive (LOD = 2.239 nM). Circular dichroism (CD) spectrometry results show that the free aptamer binds to the target molecule. The aptamer was characterized using gold nanoparticles to measure UV absorbance. Our results suggest that the sensor system developed using this aptamer is useful for field diagnosis of small molecules.

Quantitative screening for endocrine-disrupting bisphenol A in consumer and household products using NanoAptamer assay

The NanoAptamer assay is a bisphenol A (BPA) quantification method that uses magnetic beads, quantum dot nanoparticles, and a BPA-specific aptamer. In this study, screening of various consumer and household products for BPA was demonstrated utilizing the NanoAptamer assay. First, the experimental conditions suitable for BPA detection using the NanoAptamer assay were examined in terms of incubation time, temperature, and buffer composition. The range of BPA quantification via the NanoAptamer assay was determined to be 0.005-1000 ng/mL of BPA. The selectivity was confirmed by detecting BPA in an analog mixture containing bisphenol S and bisphenol F. Finally, a leaching experiment using 20 consumer and household products classified into 4 categories was performed to demonstrate the capability of the NanoAptamer assay for BPA detection. The experiment was validated by high-performance liquid chromatography analysis (correlation coefficient, r = 0.99).

Development of a ssDNA aptamer system with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) to detect nonylphenol ethoxylate in domestic detergent

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals are a major public health problem throughout the world. In the human body, these compounds functionalize the same as sexual hormones, inducing precocious puberty, gynecomastia, etc. To help prevent this occurrence, a simple detection system is needed. In this study, a nonylphenol ethoxylate (NPE)-specific aptamer was selected by reduced graphene oxide-systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment. A random ssDNA library was incubated with rGO for adsorption, followed by elution with the target molecule. As a result of screening, a DNA aptamer was found that specifically bounds to the target with high binding affinity (K_d  = 100.9 ± 13.2 nM) and had a low limit of detection (LOD = 696 pM). Furthermore, this NPE-binding aptamer bounds selectively to the target. Characterization of the aptamer was confirmed by measuring the fluorescence signal recovery from rGO. In addition, detection of NPE was performed with several water samples, and the detection accuracy was 100 ± 10%. From these results, we expect that this aptamer could be applied to an on-site detection system for NPE in industrial sites or domestic fields.

Three-Dimensional Printing of Bisphenol A-Free Polycarbonates

Polycarbonates are widely used in food packages, drink bottles, and various healthcare products such as dental sealants and tooth coatings. However, bisphenol A (BPA) and phosgene used in the production of commercial polycarbonates pose major concerns to public health safety. Here, we report a green pathway to prepare BPA-free polycarbonates (BFPs) by thermal ring-opening polymerization and photopolymerization. Polycarbonates prepared from two cyclic carbonates in different mole ratios demonstrated tunable mechanical stiffness, excellent thermal stability, and high optical transparency. Three-dimensional (3D) printing of the new BFPs was demonstrated using a two-photon laser direct writing system and a rapid 3D optical projection printer to produce structures possessing complex high-resolution geometries. Seeded C3H10T1/2 cells also showed over 95% viability with potential applications in biological studies. By combining biocompatible BFPs with 3D printing, novel safe and high-performance biomedical devices and healthcare products could be developed with broad long-term benefits to society.

Advances in sensing and biosensing of bisphenols: A review

Bisphenols (BPs) are well known endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) that cause adverse effects on the environment, biotic life and human health. BPs have been studied extensively because of an increasing concern for the safety of the environment and for human health. They are major raw materials for manufacturing polycarbonates, thermal papers and epoxy resins and are considered hazardous environmental contaminants. A vast array of sensors and biosensors have been developed for the sensitive screening of BPs based on carbon nanomaterials (carbon nanotubes, fullerenes, graphene and graphene oxide), quantum dots, metal and metal oxide nanocomposites, polymer nanocomposites, metal organic frameworks, ionic liquids and molecularly imprinted polymers. This review is devoted mainly to a variety of sensitive, selective and reliable sensing and biosensing methods for the detection of BPs using electrochemistry, fluorescence, colorimetry, surface plasmon resonance, luminescence, ELISAs, circular dichroism, resonance Rayleigh scattering and adsorption techniques in plastic products, food samples, food packaging, industrial wastes, pharmaceutical products, human body fluids and many other matrices. It summarizes the advances in sensing and biosensing methods for the detection of BPs since 2010. Furthermore, the article discusses challenges and future perspectives in the development of novel sensing methods for the detection of BP analogs.

Colorimetric detection of bisphenol A based on unmodified aptamer and cationic polymer aggregated gold nanoparticles

In this study, a colorimetric method was exploited to detect bisphenol A (BPA) based on BPA-specific aptamer and cationic polymer-induced aggregation of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). The principle of this assay is very classical. The aggregation of AuNPs was induced by the concentration of cationic polymer, which is controlled by specific recognition of aptamer with BPA and the reaction of aptamer and cationic polymer forming "duplex" structure. This method enables colorimetric detection of BPA with selectivity and a detection limit of 1.50 nM. In addition, this colorimetric method was successfully used to determine spiked BPA in tap water and river water samples.