A green flow-injection procedure for fluorimetric determination of bisphenol A in tap waters based on the inclusion complex with β-cyclodextrin

Abstract

Bisphenol A, widely used in the production of plastics and found in the coating of food cans and baby bottles, shows estrogenic activity. The aim of the present work was to develop a flow system for the determination of bisphenol A in tap waters using the inclusion complex with β-cyclodextrin. The limit of detection was estimated at 1.5 μg L⁻¹ (99.7% confidence level), and a linear response was verified between 5 and 320 μg L⁻¹. The coefficient of variation and sampling rate were 1.5% (n = 20) and 78 h⁻¹, respectively. Each analysis generated 1.9 mL of waste and consumed 45 µg of β-CD. The procedure is selective by exploiting a copperised zinc mini-column and on-line sample acidification to eliminate nitrate and carbonate interferences, respectively. The results for tap water samples (from 5.96 to 27.7 µg L⁻¹) agreed with those obtained by HPLC at 95% confidence level. The procedure is environmentally friendly because it does not require organic solvents for sample clean-up or analyte concentration and minimises reagent consumption and waste generation.

Keywords:

• flow analysis
• emerging organic pollutants
• bisphenol A
• fluorescence
• tap waters
• cyclodextrin

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the fellowships and financial support from the Brazilian Agencies CNPq and FAPESP. Prof. E.A.G. Zagatto is thanked for critical comments. This is a contribution of the National Institute of Advanced Analytical Science and Technology (INCTAA).