Determination of 4-nonylphenol, nonylphenol monoethoxylate, nonylphenol diethoxylate and other alkylphenols in fish and shellfish by high-performanceliquid chromatography with fluorescence detection

A simple and highly sensitive method is described for the HPLC determinatio n of 4-nonylphenol (NP), 4-nonylphenol mono- (NP1EO) and diethoxylates (NP2 EO) in fish and shellfish together with bisphenol A (BPA), 4-tert.-butylphe nol (BP) and 3-tert.-octylphenol (OP). The NP, NP1EO, NP2EO and other alkyl phenols in the samples are extracted with acetonitrile and the lipid in the sample extract is eliminated by partitioning between hexane and acetonitri le. After Florisil PR clean-up the sample extract is analyzed by HPLC with a fluorescence detection. Recoveries in Japanese smelt, carp and corbicura are 81.8-84.3% for NP, 83.5-84.3% for NP1EO, 90.5-96.2% for NP2EO, 70.7-72. 9% for BPA, 71.0-73.4% for BP and 77.1-83.3% for OP spiked at 0.5 mu g each chemical per 5 g of the fish and shellfish samples. The detection limits a re 2 ng/g for NP, NP1EO and NP2EO, and 1 ng/g for BPA, BP and OP. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.