Gas Chromatography-mass Spectrophotometry Evaluation of the Concentration of Bisphenol-A (BPA) in Five Selected Canned Food Products Consumed in Lagos Area, Nigeria

Aims: This research was designed to evaluate the Bisphenol A (BPA) level in five selected canned food products (sweet corn, baked bean, green pea, tomato paste and sardine) on sale in Lagos markets, South West Nigeria.
Place and Duration of Study: Department of Biochemistry and Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine and Faculty of Science, University of Lagos, Nigeria between May 2012 and November 2012.
Methodology: The canned food products purchased from Oyingbo and Mushin markets in Lagos, Nigeria and stored at room temperature prior to analysis were carefully opened and oven dried at 60ºC for one week. They were then subjected to solid phase extraction with acetonitrile and derivatization with acetic anhydride. Gas chromatography and mass-spectrometry was carried out on the derivatized samples and compared with BPA standard.
Results: BPA in varied concentrations was detected in samples of all the canned products at levels ranging from 0.3 to 4.1μg/L, except for sardine in which BPA was not detected.
Conclusion: Consumers’ exposure to BPA through consumption of these canned food products in Lagos area, Nigeria is low, well below the provisional tolerable daily intake of 25 µg/kg of body weight/day established by Health Canada and 50 µg/kg of body weight/day by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the European Food Safety Authority. Consumption of these canned foods therefore is safe without fear of any adverse effect.