Levels of Bisphenol A Diglycidyl Ether (BADGE) and Bisphenol F Diglycidyl Ether (BFDGE) in Canned Liquid Infant Formula Products in Canada and Dietary Intake Estimates

Abstract

A method based on solid-phase extraction followed by HPLC analysis with fluorescence detection was developed for the determination of bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (BADGE) and bisphenol F diglycidyl ether (BFDGE) in liquid infant formula. In this method, instead of trying to isolate and measure each individual form of the molecules, hydrolysis of BADGE, BFDGE, BADGE x H2O, and BFDGE x H2O was forced to completion to their stable forms, BADGE x 2H2O and BFDGE x 2H2O, before extraction. The method LODs were 2.0 ng/g for BADGE and 3.0 ng/g for BFDGE. Extraction recoveries were 61-91% for BADGE, and 55-82% for BFDGE over the concentration range of 10 to 50 ng/g. The method was used to analyze samples of 21 canned liquid infant formula products for BADGE and BFDGE. BADGE was detected in samples of all products at levels ranging from as low as 2.4 ng/g to as high as 262 ng/g. BFDGE was detected in only one product (40 ng/g), and this product also had the highest BADGE level (262 ng/g). HPLC/MS/MS with a similar LOD was also used to confirm the results. The probable daily intakes (PDI) of BADGE and BFDGE due to consumption of canned liquid infant formula were estimated for infants from premature to 12-18 months of age. The maximum PDI of BADGE was 22 microg/kg body weight/day for the 12-18 months old with the maximum formula intake. The maximum PDI of BFDGE was < 3.4 microg/kg body weight/day.