Bisphenol A and three other bisphenol analogues in canned fish products from the Canadian market 2014

Abstract

A sensitive and selective gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method was developed and validated for simultaneous analysis of bisphenol A (BPA) and three other bisphenols, bisphenol B (BPB), bisphenol E (BPE), and bisphenol F (BPF). This method was used to analyze samples of 52 canned fish products to follow up a previous study conducted 5 years ago to investigate any changes in BPA levels since then and levels of other bisphenols due to possible changes in can coating formulations. BPB and BPE were not detected in any of the 52 canned fish products, and BPF was detected in only four products at low levels from 1.8 to 5.7 ng/g, indicating that BPA is likely still the dominant bisphenol used in current can coating formulations. BPA was detected in all 52 canned fish products, but at much lower levels compared with a previous study; levels ranged from 0.96 to 265 ng/g (average, 28 ng/g). The few products with high BPA levels (>100 ng/g) are exclusively from a new brand that has become available on the market only recently. Further analysis of canned fish products is planned in the future to capture any changes in BPA levels in these products and to update the exposure assessment of BPA due to consumption of canned fish products.