Direct analysis of trace level bisphenol A, octylphenols and nonylphenol in bottled water and leached from bottles by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry.

A high-throughput method was developed for the direct analysis of trace level bisphenol A (BPA), 4-n-octylphenol (4-n-OP), 4-tert-octylphenol (4-t-OP) and 4-n-nonylphenol (4-n-NP) in water samples by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (uHPLC/MS/MS) using an isotope-labeled internal standard. Aliquots of water samples were spiked with the internal standard and analyzed without sample cleanup or enrichment. All target analytes were chromatographically separated within 3 min and detected using the highly selective multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) detection mode. The method detection limits were statistically calculated and ranged from 0.040 ppb (BPA) to 0.057 ppb (4-n-NP). Excellent correlation of determination was achieved for each analyte with r greater than 0.995. Precision was achieved within 8% relative standard deviation (RSD) for all analytes, and recoveries from spiked samples ranged from 97% to 106.2% except for 4-n-OP which may be corrected by using an isotope-labeled analog as internal standard. This method was used for analyzing eight randomly selected bottled water samples and found no detectable target analytes. This method was also used to analyze target analytes leached from bottles (6 low cost bottles and 6 brand-name baby-feeding bottles). Low levels of BPA were found in three bottles after they had been heated in a microwave oven, and a trace amount of 4-n-NP was also found in three bottles. 4-t-OP, which has not been reported as a leachable chemical, was found in two brand name baby-feeding bottles from the same manufacturer, and was confirmed with bottles from different batches.