Importance of control of enzymatic degradation for determination of bisphenol A from fruits and vegetables

The purpose of this study was to develop an analytical method for determination of bisphenol A (BPA) from fruits and vegetables. The present method developed for extraction of BPA from samples was based on solid-phase extraction (SPE) method and solvent extraction. Recovery results in the samples spiked with a 10 ng/ml BPA [no detection (< 1 ng/g) to 77%] were lower than those in the samples with a 50 ng/ml BPA (26-96%). The fact that the low recovery results were caused by BPA degradation by enzymes is found. These problems were proved by the pH (pH <= 3) and the beating treatment (at >= 80 degrees C for 5 min). However, because the heating treatment at temperatures of >= 80 degrees C for 5 min is more difficult and time-consuming method than the pH control, we suggest that the pH control is useful to prevent BPA degradation. Good recovery results (82-101%) were obtained from all fruit and vegetable samples after pH treatment (pH <= 3). Effective elimination of impurities and a good detection limit (1 ng/g) were obtained with a method involving two SPE cartridges (OASIS HLB and Sep-Pak Florisil cartridge). (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.