Rapid Separation of Bisphenol-A Diglycidyl Ether (BADGE) and Related Impurities on a Thermo Scientific™ Acclaim™ 120 C18 RSLC Column

Significance of the Topic

Bisphenol-A diglycidyl ether (BADGE) is a common epoxy resin precursor used in coatings and adhesives, notably in food-contact materials. Even trace levels of BADGE and its hydrolysis or chlorinated by-products raise safety concerns.

Objectives and Overview

This study demonstrates a rapid UHPLC method for separating BADGE and six related impurities using a Thermo Scientific Acclaim 120 C18 RSLC column. The primary goal is to transform a conventional gradient into a high-throughput RSLC gradient while maintaining resolution and sensitivity.

Methodology and Instrumentation

The method employs a 2.1 × 50 mm, 2.2 µm C18 RSLC column with a binary gradient of methanol (A) and water (B). Key parameters include:

• Pump: Dionex UltiMate HPG-3200 RS
• Column thermostat: TCC-3000 RS at 30 °C
• Injector: WPS-3000 RS, 0.2 µL injection volume
• Flow rate: 0.49 mL/min
• Gradient: 50:50 A:B at 0 min; hold to 0.1 min; linear to 80:20 by 1.8 min; hold to 3.5 min
• Detection: DAD-3000 RS at 277 nm and 228 nm

Main Results and Discussion

The method achieves baseline separation of seven analytes—BADGE-2H2O, bisphenol-A, BADGE-H2O, BADGE-H2O-HCl, BADGE, BADGE-HCl and BADGE-2HCl—in under 3.5 minutes. Peak shapes are symmetrical, and resolution exceeds USP requirements. Comparison with a standard column demonstrates a significant throughput increase via the speedup calculator.

Benefits and Practical Applications

Rapid cycle times support high sample loads in QA/QC laboratories, particularly for compliance testing of epoxy residues in packaging. Lower solvent consumption and minimal run times reduce operational costs and environmental impact.

Future Trends and Possibilities

Advances may include further miniaturization to sub-2 µm particles, integration with high-resolution mass spectrometry for structural confirmation, and adoption of greener mobile phases. Automation of sample preparation and data analysis will streamline regulatory workflows.

Conclusion

The presented RSLC method offers a fast, robust and sensitive approach for monitoring BADGE and its impurities, combining high resolution with minimal analysis time. It is well suited for routine food-safety testing and industrial quality control.

Reference

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. Rapid Separation of BADGE and Related Impurities on Acclaim 120 C18 RSLC Column, 2009.