Bisphenol A contamination in soft drinks as a risk for children’s health in Italy

Abstract

Bisphenol A (BPA) was determined in sugary carbonated, non-carbonated and milk-based beverages, through HLPC-fluorescence detection and confirmed by LC-MS/MS, in a selection of brands that are mostly consumed by Italian children. The daily intake was determined through the WHO budget method (BM). BPA was found at detectable levels in 57% of carbonated beverages, in 50% of non-carbonated and in 100% of milk-based beverages. The median concentrations were 1.24 µg l^–1 (range = < LOD–4.98 µg l^–1) in canned carbonated beverages and 0.18 µg l^–1 (< LOD–1.78 µg l^–1) in non-canned carbonated beverages. In non-carbonated beverages, median concentrations were 0.80 µg l^–1 (< LOD–2.79 µg l^–1) and 0.18 µg l^–1 (< LOD–3.58 µg l^–1), respectively, for canned and non-canned beverages; in milk-based products the BPA median concentration was 3.60 µg l^–1 (1.00–17.65 µg l^–1). BPA daily intake from sugary drink consumption in children ranged from 0.008 to 1.765 µg kg^–1 bw day^–1. The median exposure values for the ‘best’ and ‘worst’ cases were 0.16% and 0.47% respectively of the EFSA t-TDI for BPA (4 µg kg^–1 bw day^–1), and 10.59% and 35.30% of the t-TDI when the maximum levels were considered.

Keywords:

• BPA
• sugary beverages
• children’s intake
• chemical contamination

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the D’Aniello laboratory and Ciro D’Aniello for equipment and technical support.