Quantitation of bisphenol A and bisphenol A glucuronide in biological samples by high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.
Bisphenol A (BPA) is a weak estrogen. Pharmacokinetic studies of BPA have demonstrated a rapid and extensive metabolism of BPA to the nonestrogenic BPA-monoglucuronide (BPA-gluc). Some investigators have reported that BPA was found at parts per billion concentrations in the tissues or urine of humans without known exposure to BPA. This work developed a rapid and sensitive method for the determination of BPA and BPA-gluc in plasma and urine based on liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry method for quantitation of BPA and BPA-gluc uses stable isotope-labeled internal standards. A linear ion trap mass spectrometer permits identification and quantitation of BPA-gluc and BPA without sample workup. Development of separation conditions reduced the BPA-background in solvent samples to below 2.5 pmol/ml for BPA. Limit of quantitation (LOQ) for BPA in control urine was 15 pmol/ml; LOQ for BPA-gluc was 65 pmol/ml. Application of the method to urine samples from human subjects (n = 6) after administration of 25 microg of BPA/person (estimated maximum human daily intake) permitted the determination of excretion kinetics for BPA-gluc; BPA was below the LOD in all except two of the samples. In urine or blood samples of human subjects (n = 19) without intentional exposure to BPA, BPA concentrations were always below the limit of detection ( approximately 2.5 pmol/ml) with or without prior glucuronidase treatment. The results show that care is required for analysis of BPA and its major metabolite BPA-gluc. The LOD obtained and the absence of detectable levels of BPA in samples from individuals suggests that general exposure of humans to BPA is much lower than the worst-case exposure scenario developed.
Völkel
Wolfgang
W
Department of Toxicology, University of Würzburg, Versbacherstrasse 9, 97078 Würzburg, Germany.
Bittner
Nataly
N
Dekant
Wolfgang
W
D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004968:Estrogens, Non-Steroidal / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000652:urine; D005260:Female; D020719:Glucuronides / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010636:Phenols / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000652:urine; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization / Q000379:methods*; D000098826:Bisphenol A Compounds
D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds; D004968:Estrogens, Non-Steroidal; D020719:Glucuronides; D010636:Phenols; C512161:bisphenol A glucuronide; D000098826:Bisphenol A Compounds; C006780:bisphenol A