Determination and levels of the biocide ortho-phenylphenol in canned beers from different countries.
A method was developed for the determination of the biocide ortho-phenylphenol (biphenyl-2-ol; OPP) in beer, using deuterated OPP as an internal standard. A new liquid-liquid extraction procedure, employing acetonitrile, diethyl ether, and n-pentane, afforded rapid phase separation. The evaporated extract was derivatized with pentafluorobenzyl bromide in a water-acetonitrile mixture that was buffered with potassium carbonate, followed by extraction of the derivative into cyclohexane and analysis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in electron ionization mode. The method enables the detection of OPP in 50 mL of beer at concentrations as low as 0.1 microg/L and provides a linear range of quantification of 0.5-40 microg/L. Samples from 61 beers canned over the past 12 years and sold in 27 countries were analyzed for OPP. In 40 of them, the target compound was present at concentrations of 1.2-40 microg/L. Our investigations indicate that the ends of the cans, which contain sealing material presumably treated with OPP, are responsible for this contamination.
Coelhan
Mehmet
M
Research Center for Brewing and Food Quality, Technical University of Munich, Freising-Weihenstephan, Germany. coelhan@wzw.tum.de
Bromig
Karl-Heinz
KH
Glas
Karl
K
Roberts
A Lynn
AL
D016573:Agrochemicals / Q000032:analysis; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000032:analysis*; D001515:Beer / Q000032:analysis*; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds / Q000032:analysis*; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D018857:Food Packaging; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
D016573:Agrochemicals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds; C004369:2-phenylphenol