Separation of Bisphenol A and Bisphenol F

Importance of the Topic

Bisphenol A (BPA) and Bisphenol F (BPF) are widely used monomers in plastics such as polycarbonates and PVC. Due to their potential endocrine-disrupting effects and prevalence in consumer products like baby bottles, accurate quantification ensures regulatory compliance and consumer safety.

Objectives and Study Overview

The presented study aims to develop and validate a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) protocol for the efficient and reproducible separation of BPA and BPF in polymer matrices, facilitating quality control in industrial and laboratory settings.

Methodology and Instrumentation

The analysis was conducted in reversed-phase mode using a Eurospher II 100-3 C18 A column (150×3.0 mm ID). The mobile phase consisted of water (A) and acetonitrile (B) under a gradient program:

• 0–3.0 min: 50% B
• 3.0–3.1 min: linear increase to 95% B
• 3.1–10.0 min: 95% B
• 10.0–10.1 min: return to 50% B
• 10.1–22.0 min: 50% B

Flow rate was 0.6 mL/min, column temperature 30 °C, injection volume 5 µL. Detection was performed by UV at 227 nm.

Main Results and Discussion

The optimized gradient achieved baseline resolution between BPF (peak 1) and BPA (peak 2) within a total run time of 22 minutes. The chromatogram demonstrated sharp peaks with minimal tailing, indicating high column efficiency. Elution times around 1–2 minutes confirm rapid analysis capability.

Benefits and Practical Applications

The method offers a straightforward, reproducible approach for routine screening of bisphenols in plastics. It supports quality assurance in manufacturing, migration studies in packaging, and regulatory monitoring of endocrine disruptors in consumer products.

Future Trends and Applications

Future developments may include coupling with mass spectrometry for enhanced sensitivity and selectivity, miniaturization to UHPLC formats for faster throughput, and adaptation to automated sample preparation for high-volume testing environments.

Conclusion

A robust HPLC method employing a C18 reversed-phase column and UV detection at 227 nm has been established for reliable separation of BPA and BPF. This protocol meets industry requirements for accuracy, speed, and reproducibility in bisphenol analysis.