Urinary Bisphenols as Biomarkers of Exposure to Bisphenol A, Bisphenol F, and Bisphenol S: A New Procedure for Biomonitoring

Introduction. Bisphenols are chemicals widely used in industrial production, but they are also of significant concern due to their potential health effects. In particular, bisphenol A (BPA) is a documented endocrine disruptor. As a result, bisphenol S (BPS) and bisphenol F (BPF) are now frequently used as substitutes. However, evidence of endocrine-disrupting properties is also emerging for these substances. Methods. A new, simple, and rapid HPLC-MS/MS procedure for the urinary analysis of bisphenols was developed and validated. Results. The mean accuracy ranged from 83.3 to 119.2%, and precision values (CV%) ranged from 2.2 to 18.9%. The limit of detections (LODs) for BPA, BPS, and BPF, were 0.01, 0.001, and 0.07 µg/L. The pre-analytical step involved only enzymatic hydrolysis, followed by a liquid–liquid extraction, for the subsequent urine analysis of the three BPs. Chromatographic separation was achieved in 9 min, with high selectivity. Discussion. The procedure was applied to 36 urine samples of a male population attending a fertility center. Most of the subjects showed relevant exposure to BPs (BPS average level: 0.87 ± 3.03 µg/g creatinine; BPF average level: 0.14 ± 0.34 µg/g creatinine), particularly to BPA (average level 0.97 ± 1.27 µg/g creatinine). The procedure demonstrated high efficiency and was confirmed to be practical, fast, and accurate.