title: LC-MS/MS analytical procedure to quantify tris(nonylphenyl)phosphite, as a source of the endocrine disruptors 4-nonylphenols, in food packaging materials.
abstract: Tris(nonylphenyl)phosphite, an antioxidant used in polyethylene resins for food applications, is problematic since it is a source of the endocrine-disrupting chemicals 4-nonylphenols (4NP) upon migration into packaged foods. As a response to concerns surrounding the presence of 4NP-based compounds in packaging materials, some resin producers and additive suppliers have decided to eliminate TNPP from formulations. This paper describes an analytical procedure to verify the "TNPP-free" statement in multilayer laminates used for bag-in-box packaging. The method involves extraction of TNPP from laminates with organic solvents followed by detection/quantification by LC-MS/MS using the atmospheric pressure chemical ionisation (APCI) mode. A further acidic treatment of the latter extract allows the release of 4NP from potentially extracted TNPP. 4NP is then analysed by LC-MS/MS using electrospray ionisation (ESI) mode. This two-step analytical procedure ensures not only TNPP quantification in laminates, but also allows the flagging of other possible sources of 4NP in such packaging materials, typically as non-intentionally added substances (NIAS). The limits of quantification were 0.50 and 0.48 µg dm⁻² for TNPP and 4NP in laminates, respectively, with recoveries ranging between 87% and 114%. Usage of such analytical methodologies in quality control operations has pointed to a lack of traceability at the packaging supplier level and cross-contamination of extrusion equipment at the converter level, when TNPP-containing laminates are processed on the same machine beforehand.
authors.affiliation: a Nestlé Research Centre , Lausanne , Switzerland.
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mottier
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Frank
authors.forename: Mathieu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dubois
authors.forename: Adrienne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tarres
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bessaire
authors.forename: Roman
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Romero
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Delatour
mesh_terms: D000535:Aluminum / Q000737:chemistry; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D001208:Asia; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003257:Consumer Product Safety; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D005060:Europe; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000517:prevention & control; D005515:Food Labeling; D018857:Food Packaging; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D057230:Limit of Detection; D063065:Organophosphonates / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D010636:Phenols / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D017905:Phosphites / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D020959:Polyethylene / Q000737:chemistry; D011093:Polyethylene Terephthalates / Q000737:chemistry; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization; D013557:Switzerland; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D063065:Organophosphonates; D010636:Phenols; D017905:Phosphites; D011093:Polyethylene Terephthalates; D020959:Polyethylene; D000535:Aluminum; C000594297:tris(nonylphenyl)phosphite; C041594:4-nonylphenol
keywords: 4-nonylphenols; LC-MS/MS; Tris(nonylphenyl)phosphite; endocrine disruptor; packaging