Development and validation of a liquid chromatographic tandem mass spectrometric method (LC-MS/MS) for the determination of bisphenols and parabens in menstrual products after solid-phase extraction.

BACKGROUND

Currently, thousands of personal care and hygiene products are widely produced and distributed worldwide. Even though in recent years legislation concerning these compounds has become stricter than ever before, limited information is provided on product labels.

RESULTS

In this research, a novel method was developed and validated for the determination of parabens and bisphenols in menstrual products, including menstrual pads, panty liners, and tampons. Sample preparation was carried out using solid-phase extraction (SPE) prior to analysis by liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) equipped with an electrospray ionization (ESI) source. The optimized method showed high recoveries ranging from 84.0 to 112.0%, with relative standard deviation (RSDs) not exceeding 20.0% at the limit of quantification (LOQ) and 15.0% at the remaining concentration levels. The method was also applied to real samples, in which bisphenol A was the most prevalent compound detected, while parabens were also determined in several analysed samples.

SIGNIFICANCE AND NOVELTY: This work introduces a rapid LC method for the simultaneous extraction, purification, and quantification of bisphenols and parabens in menstrual products, with reduced solvent consumption and analysis time. The applicability, analytical performance, and environmental sustainability of the method were evaluated using established assessment tools. The results demonstrate that the proposed method aligns with the principles of green chemistry.