2 RP-HPLC SENSITIVE METHODS TO QUANTIFY AND IDENTIFY BISPHENOL A DIGLYCIDYL ETHER AND ITS HYDROLYSIS PRODUCTS .1. EUROPEAN-UNION AQUEOUS FOOD SIMULANTS

Two RP-HPLC with fluorescence detection alternative methods have been proposed to quantify and identify bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (BADGE) , a monomer of epoxy resins used as a coating for food packaging mater ials, and its hydrolysis products (HPs) in three aqueous food liquid s imulants: 15% (v/v) ethanol, 3% (w/v) acetic acid, and distilled water . Both isocratic and gradient chromatographic methods were developed t o determine this monomer at the specific migration limit (SML) level ( restriction proposed by European Union legislation) and also the two H Ps in aqueous EEC food simulants. All calibration lines had correlatio n coefficients greater than 0.997 and detection limits of less than 2 mu g of BADGE/L. Standard deviations (in percent) obtained in the prec ision calculation were less than 3% for BADGE. Furthermore, both metho ds were applied to analyze these compounds in three types of epoxy can coatings that contact food.