Analysis of Parabens and Bisphenol A in Female Hair via LC-MS/MS and Its Application to a Biomonitoring Study in Southern Brazil

Abstract

Parabens (PBs) and bisphenols are endocrine disruptors (EDs) widely used in everyday products and associated with health issues, such as reproductive disorders, breast cancer, obesity, hypertension, and asthma. Hair has been proposed as an alternative matrix due to its ability to reflect prolonged exposure while being less affected by short-term fluctuations. This study developed a rapid and sensitive analytical method for the determination of PBs (butylparaben, methylparaben, ethylparaben, and propylparaben) and bisphenol A in hair samples using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Hair sample preparation included acid hydrolysis, extraction with ethyl acetate, and derivatization with dansyl chloride. The chromatographic run time was 5.50 min. The method presented acceptable precision (CV < 9.09%) and accuracy (100.71–108.58%), meeting validation guidelines. The validated method was applied to hair samples from 101 volunteers, demonstrating its reliability as a biomonitoring tool for assessing long-term exposure to PBs and bisphenol A in human populations.