Determination of the Migration of Bisphenol A from Polycarbonate by Dispersive Liquid-Liquid Microextraction Combined with High Performance Liquid Chromatography

A novel method for the determination of the migration of bisphenol A (BPA) from polycarbonate water bottles has been developed by using dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction (DLLME) followed by high performance liquid chromatography for compliance with the regulatory specific migration limit. Experimental parameters, including the type and volume of extractants and dispersers, the sample solution pH, addition of salt, extraction time, and temperature, were examined and optimized. Under the optimum conditions, average recovery rates for the real samples varied from 82% to 98%, with relative standard deviation values less than 3.6%. The method offered excellent linearity over a range of 0.8–600 µg L−1 with a correlation coefficient of r = 0.9999. Intra-day and inter-day repeatability values expressed as relative standard deviation were 3.9% and 6.9%, respectively. The method quantitation limit and detection limit were 0.7 and 0.2 µg L−1, respectively. The developed method was successfully applied to the determination of the migration of bisphenol A from 26 polycarbonate water bottles collected locally. The findings indicated the migration from the used bottles was significantly higher than the new ones, and the migration amounts from one sample was very close to the regulatory specific migration limit, and the amounts from seven samples exceeded the daily intake limit for infants.