Determination of phthalic acid esters in water samples using core-shell poly(dopamine) magnetic nanoparticles and gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry

Single-step batch fabrication of microfluidic paper-based analytical devices with a 3D printer and their applications in nanoenzyme-enhanced visual detection of dopamine

Wax printing is the most widely used method for fabricating microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (μPADs), but it still suffers from disadvantages like discontinuation of wax printers and need for additional equipment for heating treatment. To address these issues, this work initially describes a new class of wax printing approach for high-precision, batch fabrication of μPADs using a household 3D printer. It only involves a one patterning step of printing polyethylene wax into rice paper body. Under optimized parameters, a fabrication resolution, namely the minimum hydrophilic channel width, down to ~189 ± 30 μm could be achieved. In addition, the analytical applicability of such polyethylene wax-patterned μPADs was demonstrated well with enhanced colorimetric detection of dopamine as a model analyte by combining metal-organic framework (MOF) based nanoenzymes (ZIF-67) with a smartphone (for portable quantitative readout). The developed nanosensor could linearly detect dopamine over a concentration range from 10 to 1000 μM, with a detection limit of ca. 2.75 μM (3σ). The recovery results for analyzing several real samples (i.e., pig feed, chicken feed, pork and human serum) were between 91.82 and 102.79%, further validating its good detection accuracy for potential practical applications in food safety and medical diagnosis.

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals in Vietnamese marine fish: Occurrence, distribution, and risk assessment

The release of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) into the aquatic environment, specifically the oceans, is increasing, leading to adverse effects on the marine ecosystem. Using optimized QuEChERS extraction methods, the study created the first contamination profiles of 44 EDCs, including organic ultraviolet compounds, pharmaceutically active compounds, hormones, and phthalate esters, in 114 fish muscle samples from five species collected along the Vietnamese coast. The study found that largehead hairtail exhibited the highest total EDCs at 208.3 ng g-1 lipid weight (lw), while Indian catfish displayed the lowest concentration at 105.5 ng g-1 lw. Besides, the study observed notable variations in the total EDCs across distinct fish species. This study hypothesized that the marine economic characteristics of each research location have a significant role in shaping the pollution profile of EDCs found in fish specimens taken from the corresponding area. As a result, a notable disparity in the composition of organic ultraviolet compounds has been observed among the three regions of North, Central, and South Vietnam (Mann-Whitney U test, p < 0.05). Despite these findings, EDC-contaminated fish did not pose any health risks to Vietnam's coastal population.

A Critical Review of Analytical Methods for the Quantification of Phthalates Esters in Two Important European Food Products: Olive Oil and Wine

Phthalic acid esters (PAEs) are a class of chemicals widely used as plasticizers. These compounds, considered toxic, do not bond to the polymeric matrix of plastic and can, therefore, migrate into the surrounding environment, posing a risk to human health. The primary source of human exposure is food, which can become contaminated during cultivation, production, and packaging. Therefore, it is imperative to control and regulate this exposure. This review covers the analytical methods used for their determination in two economically significant products: olive oil and wine. Additionally, it provides a summary and analysis of information regarding the characteristics, toxicity, effects on human health, and current regulations pertaining to PAEs in food. Various approaches for the extraction, purification, and quantification of these analytes are highlighted. Solvent and sorbent-based extraction techniques are reviewed, as are the chromatographic separation and other methods currently applied in the analysis of PAEs in wines and olive oils. The analysis of these contaminants is challenging due to the complexities of the matrices and the widespread presence of PAEs in analytical laboratories, demanding the implementation of appropriate strategies.

Design, Preparation, and Application of Magnetic Nanoparticles for Food Safety Analysis: A Review of Recent Advances

This review (with 126 references) aims at providing an updated overview of the recent developments and innovations of the preparation and application of magnetic nanoparticles for food safety analysis. During the past two decades, various magnetic nanoparticles with different sizes, shapes, and surface modifications have been designed, synthesized, and characterized with the prospering development of material science. Analytical scientists and food scientists are among the ones who bring these novel materials from laboratories to commercial applications. Powerful and versatile surface functional groups and high surface to mass ratios make these magnetic nanoparticles useful tools for high-efficiency capture and preconcentration of certain molecules, even when they exist in trace levels or complicated food matrices. This is why more and more methods for sensitive detection and quantification of hazards in foods are developed based on these magic magnetic tools. In this review, the principles and superiorities of using magnetic nanoparticles for food pollutant analysis are first introduced, like the mechanism of magnetic solid phase extraction, a most commonly used method for food safety-related sample pretreatment. Their design and preparation are presented afterward, alongside the mechanisms underlying their application for different analytical purposes. After that, recently developed magnetic nanoparticle-based methods for dealing with food pollutants such as organic pollutants, heavy metals, and pathogens in different food matrices are summarized in detail. In the end, some humble outlooks on future directions for work in this field are provided.

Triazine covalent organic polymer coated stir bar sorptive extraction coupled with high performance liquid chromatography for the analysis of trace phthalate esters in mineral water and liquor samples

Cyanuric chloride and 4,4'-diamino-p-terphenyl were adopted as monomers to synthesize poly (4,4'-diamino-p-terphenyl-triazine) (PDT) covalent organic polymer. PDT coated stir bar was prepared and evaluated for the extraction of five phthalate esters (PAEs) with relatively lower logP values (2.7-4.9), including diethyl phthalate, diallyl phthalate, dipropyl phthalate, benzylbutyl phthalate and dibutyl phthalate. It exhibited higher extraction recovery (> 65%) and faster extraction kinetics (50 min vs 240 min) for target PAEs over commercial polydimethylsiloxane coated stir bar. Based on the superior performance, PDT coated stir bar sorptive extraction was combined with high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection for trace analysis of five PAEs plasticizers. The limits of detection for target PAEs were 0.04-0.27 μg/L, with the enrichment factors of 54-80-fold. The potential of the method was demonstrated by detecting five target PAEs in Chinese liquor and mineral water samples. No target analytes were detected in Chinese liquor sample, and recoveries of 85.4-109% were obtained for target analytes in spiked liquor samples; trace diethyl phthalate (1.19-2.98 μg/L) and dibutyl phthalate (0.77-0.91 μg/L) were detected in two mineral water samples, with recoveries of 85.4-117% and 87.4-117% respectively in spiked mineral water samples.

Potential risk of BPA and phthalates in commercial water bottles: a minireview

The global water bottling market grows annually. Today, to ensure consumer safety, it is important to verify the possible migration of compounds from bottles into the water contained in them. Potential health risks due to the prevalence of bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates (PAEs) exposure through water bottle consumption have become an important issue. BPA, benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) and di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) can cause adverse effects on human health. Papers of literature published in English, with BPA, BBP, DBP and DEHP detections during 2017, by 2019 by liquid chromatography and gas chromatography analysis methods were searched. The highest concentrations of BPA, BBP, DBP and DEHP in all the bottled waters studied were found to be 5.7, 12.11, 82.8 and 64.0 μg/L, respectively. DBP was the most compound detected and the main contributor by bottled water consumption with 23.7% of the Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI). Based on the risk assessment, BPA, BBP, DBP and DEHP in commercial water bottles do not pose a serious concern for humans. The average estrogen equivalent level revealed that BPA, BBP, DBP and DEHP in bottled waters may induce adverse estrogenic effects on human health.

Relationship of Urinary Phthalate Metabolites with Cardiometabolic Risk Factors and Oxidative Stress Markers in Children and Adolescents

Introduction

Studies have proved that exposure of adults to phthalates might be related to cardiometabolic risk factors and changes in markers of oxidative stress. Such studies conducted on school-age children and adolescents are limited and fail to assess the simultaneous effect of phthalates on these risk factors and oxidative stress markers. Therefore, it was attempted to identify the relationship of urinary phthalate metabolites with cardiometabolic risk factors and oxidative stress markers in children and adolescents. Methods. In this cross-sectional study, 108 children and adolescents, living in Isfahan industrial city of Iran, were examined. Urine samples taken from the participants were analyzed for mono-butyl phthalate (MBP), mono-benzyl phthalate (MBzP), mono-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP), mono-(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate (MEHHP), mono-(2-ethyl-5-exohexyl) phthalate (MEOHP), and mono-methyl phthalate (MMP).

Results

Results showed that, among phthalate metabolites, MBP had the highest concentration, followed by MBzP, MEOHP, MEHHP, MEHP, and MMP. Concentrations of these metabolites had a significant relationship with some of the cardiometabolic risk factors including systolic blood pressure (SBP), fasting blood sugar (FBS), and triglycerides (TG) (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the crude and adjusted linear regression models indicated the significant association of phthalate metabolites with superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

Although urinary phthalate concentrations could not exactly reflect the long-term exposure level in the studied age groups, the consumption of phthalate-free products during childhood and adolescent development shall be assumed helpful in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. To confirm these findings and develop effective intervention strategies, it would be necessary to perform longitudinal studies on diverse population.

Recent Materials Developed for Dispersive Solid Phase Extraction

Solid phase extraction (SPE) is an analytical procedure developed with the purpose of separating a target analyte from a complex sample matrix prior to quantitative or qualitative determination. The purpose of such treatment is twofold: elimination of matrix constituents that could interfere with the detection process or even damage analytical equipment as well as enriching the analyte in the sample so that it is readily available for detection. Dispersive solid phase extraction (dSPE) is a recent development of the standard SPE technique that is attracting growing attention due to its remarkable simplicity, short extraction time and low requirement for solvent expenditure, accompanied by high effectiveness and wide applicability. This review aims to thoroughly survey recently conducted analytical studies focusing on methods utilizing novel, interesting nanomaterials as dSPE sorbents, as well as known materials that have been only recently successfully applied in dSPE techniques, and evaluate their performance and suitability based on comparison with previously reported analytical procedures.

Magnetic Graphene Dispersive Solid-Phase Extraction for the Determination of Phthalic Acid Esters in Flavoring Essences by Gas Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry

In the present study, a sensitive, efficient and repeatable method for the simultaneous extraction and determination of 13 types of phthalic acid esters (PAEs) in flavoring essence samples using magnetic graphene solid-phase extraction coupled with gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry was developed. Due to the unique structure of magnetic graphene, it has several advantages, such as large surface area and fast separation ability. This unique structure not only provided strong magnetic responsiveness for the separation but also prevented the self-aggregation of graphene. The large delocalized p-electron system of graphene can form strong π-stacking interactions with the benzene ring. Thus, graphene may be also a good candidate adsorbent for the adsorption of benzenoid-form compounds. Several magnetic soild-phase extraction parameters, such as elution solvents, amounts of sorbents, enrichment time and desorption time were optimized. The optimized procedures for this method were performed by ultrasonication using ethyl acetate as elution solvent for 5 min. Under the optimal conditions, the developed method provided spiked recoveries of 75.0–105.3% with relative standard deviations of ~5.6% and limits of detection were 0.011–0.091 mg/kg. Good linear relationships were observed with the coefficient of determination (R2) &gt; 0.993 for all the analytes. Finally, the validated method was successfully applied to the analysis of PAEs in real samples.

Occurrence of phthalic acid esters in marine organisms from Hangzhou Bay, China: Implications for human exposure

Owing to the wide application of phthalic acid esters (PAEs) in the manufacturing of plastic products, they are ubiquitous in the marine environment. However, the occurrence of various PAEs in marine organisms from China has not been well characterized. In this study, 341 marine organism samples (including fish, shrimp, crab, and shellfish) were collected from Hangzhou Bay, China and analyzed for 16 PAEs. Further, the human PAE exposure risks raised from the consumption of marine organisms were evaluated for adults and children. In total, eight PAEs were detected in collected organism samples, with the concentration of total PAEs (∑PAEs) ranging from 64 to 2840 ng/g (mean 238 ng/g). Crab (mean 811 ng/g) samples had the highest mean concentration of ∑PAEs, followed by fish (465 ng/g), shrimp (293 ng/g), and shellfish (261 ng/g) samples. Among detected PAEs, di-isobutyl phthalate (DiBP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP), and di-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) were the predominant PAEs, and they collectively accounted for 84-97% of the ∑PAEs concentrations in all samples. The estimated daily intakes of DiBP, DBP, and DEHP were more than one order of magnitude higher than remaining PAEs. Calculated hazard quotient values of PAEs were all <0.1, suggesting non-cancer risks for the general population through the consumption of marine organisms. Overall, for the first time, this study systematically examined the occurrence of multiple PAEs in four types of marine organisms from Hangzhou Bay, China.

Extraction of Phthalic Acid Esters and Di(2-ethylhexyl) Adipate from Tap and Waste Water Samples Using Chromabond® HLB as Sorbent Prior to Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry Analysis

In this work, Chromabond® HLB was evaluated as an extraction sorbent of a group of seven phthalic acid esters (PAEs; i.e., dipropyl phthalate, DPP, dibutyl phthalate, DBP, diisopentyl phthalate, DIPP, di-n-pentyl phthalate, DNPP, butylbenzyl phthalate, BBP, dicyclohexyl phthalate, DCHP, and di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate, DEHP) and one adipate (di(2-ethylhexyl) adipate, DEHA) from tap and waste water prior to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. After the optimization of the extraction conditions (200 mg of sorbent conditioned with 10 mL of acetonitrile and 2 mL of Milli-Q water, extraction of 50 mL of water at pH 6.0, vacuum drying for 20 min and elution with 10 mL of ethyl acetate), a recovery study was developed at different concentration levels in each matrix, which revealed that most of the target analytes could be recovered between 75 and 112%, with relative standard deviation values for all of them below 20%. Matrix effect was evaluated, finding that matrix-matched calibration should be developed for most analytes in both matrices. The limits of quantification (LOQs) of the method were in the 0.82–71 ng L−1 range. The developed method was also applied to the extraction of the target PAEs in different water samples finding some of them, in particular, DNPP in tap water samples, and BBP and DCHP in waste water, but below the LOQs of the method.

Magnetic solid-phase extraction based on magnetic carbon particles from coffee grounds for determining phthalic acid esters in plastic bottled water

Newly developed magnetic carbon particles prepared from coffee grounds were used as the sorbent for the magnetic solid-phase extraction of eight phthalic acid esters (PAEs) from plastic bottled water prior to their analysis by GC-MS. The method, which uses coffee-ground particles coated with iron oxide, was validated, and exhibited linearities for the eight PAEs, with coefficients of determination above 0.998 in the 0.005 to 0.1 mg/L concentration range. Limits of detection and limits of quantification of 0.00003 to 0.002 mg/L and 0.0001 to 0.005 mg/L, respectively, were achieved, with recoveries (%) ranging between 77% and 120%, and relative standard deviations for intra- and interday precisions below 16.3% at three fortification levels. No PAE residues were detected when the developed and validated method was applied to 10 real plastic bottled water samples. Taken together, the developed magnetic solid-phase extraction method is a useful tool for monitoring phthalate esters in aqueous samples. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The development of a new, inexpensive, and efficient magnetic sorption material derived from spent coffee grounds, and its ability to determine phthalate esters in aqueous solutions was described by GC-MS/MS. The developed magnetic solid-phase extraction method is a useful tool for monitoring phthalate esters in aqueous samples.

A simple, fast and easy methodology for the monitoring of plastic migrants in alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages using the QuEChERS method prior to gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry

In this work, the development of a simple, fast and reliable method for the evaluation of a group of twelve plastic migrants in alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages widely consumed by the population has been carried out. For that, a modified QuEChERS method for the extraction and preconcentration of the target compounds has been used prior to their separation and quantification by gas chromatography coupled to triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry. The whole methodology was validated for beer, cider and grape juice matrices, using dibutyl phthalate-3,4,5,6-d₄ as surrogate. Recovery ranged from 75 to 120% for all matrices with relative standard deviation values lower than 20%, and the limits of quantification of the method were achieved in the range 0.034-1.415 μg/L. Finally, the analysis of different beer, cider and grape juice samples commercialised in different supermarkets of Tenerife was carried out, finding the presence of four of the evaluated phthalates in the range 0.14-1.1 μg/L in some of the evaluated beers, six of them in several cider samples, in the range 0.3-2.1 μg/L, and one in the range 1.2-1.5 μg/L in three of the analysed grape juices.

Development and Application of Aptamer-Based Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy Sensors in Quantitative Analysis and Biotherapy

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is one of the most special and important Raman techniques. An apparent Raman signal can be observed when the target molecules are absorbed onto the surface of the SERS substrates, especially on the "hot spots" of the substrates. Early research focused on exploring the highly active SERS substrates and their detection applications in label-free SERS technology. However, it is a great challenge to use these label-free SERS sensors for detecting hydrophobic or non-polar molecules, especially in complex systems or at low concentrations. Therefore, antibodies, aptamers, and antimicrobial peptides have been used to effectively improve the target selectivity and meet the analysis requirements. Among these selective elements, aptamers are easy to use for synthesis and modifications, and their stability, affinity and specificity are extremely good; they have been successfully used in a variety of testing areas. The combination of SERS detection technology and aptamer recognition ability not only improved the selection accuracy of target molecules, but also improved the sensitivity of the analysis. Variations of aptamer-based SERS sensors have been developed and have achieved satisfactory results in the analysis of small molecules, pathogenic microorganism, mycotoxins, tumor marker and other functional molecules, as well as in successful photothermal therapy of tumors. Herein, we present the latest advances of the aptamer-based SERS sensors, as well as the assembling sensing platforms and the strategies for signal amplification. Furthermore, the existing problems and potential trends of the aptamer-based SERS sensors are discussed.

High-Throughput, Rapid Quantification of Phthalic Acid Esters and Alkylphenols in Fish Using a Coated Direct Inlet Probe Coupled with Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Ionization

Intake of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) by humans could disturb the metabolism of hormones, induce cancer, and damage the liver and other organs. Phthalate acid esters (PAEs) and alkylphenols (APs) are important EDCs and environmental contaminants. With the increasing use of plastics and nonionic surfactants worldwide, PAEs and APs have entered environmental water and accumulated in edible fish, which are finally consumed by humans. In this study, a coated direct inlet probe (CDIP) based on an atmospheric solid analysis probe, which can rapidly and simultaneously extract both PAEs and APs in fish, was developed. Twelve PAEs and APs were quantified by using a stable-isotope-labeled internal standard. Standard curves of the PAEs and APs having correlation coefficients of R² ≥ 0.9837 were obtained. The limit of detection of the PAEs and APs was distributed from 0.01 to 40 ng g^-1. The relative recovery of the method was 78-120% between low, medium, and high spiked levels. Combined with principal component analysis, PAE- and AP-contaminated Carassius auratus from different habitats could be identified. Multiple sample analysis mode allowed the extraction of up to 12 samples at once, and the total analysis time (including sample pretreatment, extraction, and analysis time) was less than 10 min per sample, which indicates that CDIP is useful for rapid quantitative analysis.

A SERS aptasensor for sensitive and selective detection of bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate

Bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) is an endocrine disruptor commonly present in plastic products, such as PVC tubes and water bottles. In this work, a surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) based aptasensor was developed and utilized for rapid, easy, sensitive, and specific detection of trace DEHP. A DEHP aptamer was immobilized on magnetic particles. Raman reporter molecule conjugated silver nanoparticles were clustered and coated with silica to provide a stable SERS signal. The SERS silica particle was then functionalized with 1,2,4-benzenetricarboxylic acid 1,2-bis(2-ethylhexyl) ester to increase its affinity to the DEHP aptamer. In the presence of a sample with DEHP, the high-affinity SERS silica particle competes with the DEHP molecule to bind with the aptamer on the magnetic particle. By measuring the signal of free SERS silica particles in the supernatant after magnetic separation, the concentration of DEHP in the sample was quantitatively determined. The developed DEHP aptasensor had a detection range from 0.008 to 182 nM and a limit of detection (LOD) of 8 pM. The aptasensor also showed high selectivity when exposed to interferents with analogous structures. The aptasensor was successfully tested for the detection of DEHP spiked in tap water, bottled water, and a carbonate beverage. The developed SERS-based aptasensor provides a rapid, sensitive, and easy-to-use method for the quantitative detection of DEHP in environmental and food analysis.

This paper reports a SERS aptasensor developed to detect DEHP at relevant ranges with ultrasensitive performance and good selectivity.

Polyamidoamine dendrimer decorated nanoparticles as an adsorbent for magnetic solid-phase extraction of tetrabromobisphenol A and 4-nonylphenol from environmental water samples

Polyamidoamine dendrimer decorated Fe₃O₄ magnetic nanoparticles were successfully synthesized by Michael addition with methyl acrylate and amidation with ethylenediamine. The decorated magnetic particles were utilized as an effective adsorbent for magnetic solid-phase extraction of tetrabromobisphenol A and 4-nonylphenol at trace levels from environmental water samples. A number of parameters such as generation number, ionic strength, adsorbent dosage, eluent, adsorption time, elution volume, elution time, pH, humic acid and sample volume were optimized. Under the optimal conditions, a wide linearity was achieved in the range of 0.1-500 μg L^-1 of the analytes with the correlation coefficients (R²) of 0.9985-0.9995. The limits of detection were approximately 0.011 μg L^-1 of tetrabromobisphenol A and 0.017 μg L^-1 of 4-nonylphenol. Satisfactory average recoveries of the analytes ranged from 93.2% to 101.1%. The results indicated that the decorated magnetic nanoparticles can be suitable for extraction of phenols from environmental water samples. The proposed method was sensitive, effective, practical and robust for the determination of tetrabromobisphenol A and 4-nonylphenol in environmental water samples.