Validation and Use of an Accurate, Sensitive Method for Sample Preparation and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry Determination of Different Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals in Dairy Products

Assessing dietary bisphenol A exposure among Koreans: comprehensive database construction and analysis using the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

Bisphenol A (BPA) exposure primarily occurs through dietary intake. This study aimed to estimate the extent of dietary BPA exposure among Koreans. A thorough literature search was conducted to establish a BPA content database encompassing common foods consumed in Korea, including various food raw materials and processed food products. Dietary exposure levels were estimated by integrating the constructed BPA database with comprehensive nationwide 24 h-dietary recall datasets. The finding revealed that dietary BPA exposure was low for most Koreans, with a mean of 14.5 ng/kg bw/day, but was higher for preschool-age children (over 23 ng). Canned foods accounted for 9-36% of the total dietary exposure of the highest dietary exposure groups; while across all age groups, a considerable amount was derived from canned tuna, contribution of canned fruits and canned coffee (milk-containing) was high for preschool-age children and adults, respectively. Notably, for adults, a substantial proportion also stemmed from beer packaged in cans. While diet contributed over 80% of aggregate exposure for most age groups, preschool-age children experienced 60% exposure through diet due to additional exposure from indoor dust. Even at the high exposure scenario, aggregate BPA exposure levels remained lower than the current tolerable daily intake (TDI) set by the Korean agency (20 μg/kg bw/day). Nevertheless, most Koreans were exposed to BPA levels surpassing the strictest TDI (0.2 ng/kg bw/day) set by the European Food Safety Authority.

Bisphenol A in dairy products, amount, potential risks, and the various analytical methods, a systematic review

This systematic study deals with the amount of bisphenol A (BPA) in milk and dairy products, its analytical methods, and risk assessment. Milk is one of the drinks that has a high consumption. Bisphenol A can be present both in raw milk and its amount undergoes changes during the pasteurization process. This review was conducted by searching for the keywords Bisphenol A, BPA milk, dairy product, cheese, cream, butter, yogurt, measurement, detection, and analysis in different databases. The search was done in three databases, Scopus, PubMed and Science Direct. The largest number of studies on the determination of bisphenol A belonged to Asian and European countries. The amount of bisphenol A in milks was observed in the range from ND to 640 ng/mL. Furthermore, the amount of BPA in the tested cheese samples was observed in the ND range up to 6.1 ng/g and in the yogurt samples in the ND range up to 4.4 ng/g. The most used analytical method was based on liquid chromatography. The most used solvent for extraction was methanol or acetonitrile. HQ (Hazard Quotient) was also calculated in some studies. There was no risk in terms of milk consumption due to BPA contamination in extracted data.

Sensor technologies for the detection and monitoring of endocrine-disrupting chemicals

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are a class of man-made substances with potential to disrupt the standard function of the endocrine system. These EDCs include phthalates, perchlorates, phenols, some heavy metals, furans, dimethoate, aromatic hydrocarbons, some pesticides, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). EDCs are widespread in the environment given their frequent use in daily life. Their production, usage, and consumption have increased many-fold in recent years. Their ability to interact and mimic normal endocrine functions makes them a potential threat to human health, aquatics, and wild life. Detection of these toxins has predominantly been done by mass spectroscopy and/or chromatography-based methods and to a lesser extent by advanced sensing approaches such as electrochemical and/or colorimetric methods. Instrument-based analytical techniques are often not amenable for onsite detection due to the lab-based nature of these detecting systems. Alternatively, analytical approaches based on sensor/biosensor techniques are more attractive because they are rapid, portable, equally sensitive, and eco-friendly. Advanced sensing systems have been adopted to detect a range of EDCs in the environment and food production systems. This review will focus on advances and developments in portable sensing techniques for EDCs, encompassing electrochemical, colorimetric, optical, aptamer-based, and microbial sensing approaches. We have also delineated the advantages and limitations of some of these sensing techniques and discussed future developments in sensor technology for the environmental sensing of EDCs.

Synthesis of MRGO@ZIF-7-Based Molecular Imprinted Polymer by Surface Polymerization for the Fast and Selective Removal of Phenolic Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals from Aqueous Environments

In this study, Zn(NO3)2·6H2O was selected as the metal source, and ZIF-7-modified magnetic graphene-based matrix materials (MRGO@ZIF-7) were prepared by in situ growth. ZIF-7 modified magnetic graphene-based molecular imprinting complexes (MRGO@ZIF7-MIP) were successfully synthesized by a surface molecular imprinting technique using bisphenol A (BPA) as the template molecule. The obtained experimental materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunner–Emmet–Teller (BET) analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The proper adsorption and selective recognition ability of the MRGO@ZIF7-MIP were studied by an equilibrium adsorption method. The obtained MRGO@ZIF7-MIP showed significant molecular recognition of bisphenol A (BPA) and good selectivity and reproducibility for BPA in different aqueous environments such as drinking water, river water, and lake water. These properties make this material potentially applicable for the efficient removal of phenolic endocrine disruptors in real water environments.

Research Advances in the Analysis of Estrogenic Endocrine Disrupting Compounds in Milk and Dairy Products

Milk and dairy products are sources of exposure to estrogenic endocrine disrupting compounds (e-EDCs). Estrogenic disruptors can accumulate in organisms through the food chain and may negatively affect ecosystems and organisms even at low concentrations. Therefore, the analysis of e-EDCs in dairy products is of practical significance. Continuous efforts have been made to establish effective methods to detect e-EDCs, using convenient sample pretreatments and simple steps. This review aims to summarize the recently reported pretreatment methods for estrogenic disruptors, such as solid-phase extraction (SPE) and liquid phase microextraction (LPME), determination methods including gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), Raman spectroscopy, and biosensors, to provide a reliable theoretical basis and operational method for e-EDC analysis in the future.

Optimization of a Multi-Residue Analytical Method during Determination of Pesticides in Meat Products by GC-MS/MS

In this study, a multi-residue analysis was developed for 32 compounds, including pesticides and metabolites, in five meat products using gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS). The validation of the developed analytical method was also evaluated in accordance with Codex Alimentarius guidelines. Aminopropyl (NH2), C18, and florisil solid phase extraction (SPE) cartridges were used to evaluate and optimize the cleanup procedure of the tested samples prior to GC-MS/MS analysis. Based on the analytical performance, the C18 SPE cartridge was deemed to be the most suitable among the examined SPE cartridges. The optimized method demonstrated that 29 out of 32 tested compounds acquired good linearity (R2 ≥ 0.99), and 25 tested compounds displayed the method limit of quantification (MLOQ) ≤ 0.01 mg/kg. Out of the 32 tested compounds, only 21 compounds met the acceptable analytical criteria for the lard and tallow samples, compared to 27 compounds in the beef, pork, and chicken samples that falls within the acceptable standards for recovery (70-120%) and analytical precision (relative standard deviation RSD ≤ 20%). The average matrix effect was widely varied (20.1-64.8%) in the studied meat samples that were affected by either ion enhancement or suppression. In particular, in the lard sample, 13 compounds showed poor recovery and analytical precision due to ion suppression. Thus, the matrix effect (ME) was considered a critical factor during multi-residue pesticide analysis in different meat products. In conclusion, this developed analytical method can be used as a routine monitoring system for residual pesticide analysis in livestock products with acceptable analytical standards. Further meticulous analytical studies should be optimized and validated for multi-residue pesticide analysis in diversified meat products.