Extracting endocrine disrupting compounds from infant formula using supercritical carbon dioxide

• Published in: The Journal of supercritical fluids Vol. 152; p. 104554
• Main Authors: Torres-Torres, E.Y., Montiel, Carmina, Araiza-Olivera, D., Gutierrez-Aguilar, M., Gimeno, Miquel, García-Arrazola, R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.10.2019
• Subjects: Emerging contaminants; Endocrine disruptors; Extraction; Food; Infant formula; Supercritical carbon dioxide; Endocrine disruptors; Extraction; Supercritical carbon dioxide; Infant formula; Emerging contaminants; Food
• ISSN: 0896-8446; 1872-8162
• DOI: 10.1016/j.supflu.2019.104554

[Display omitted] •scCO2 is demonstrated to extract DEHP, 4-NP and BPA from infant formula•The use of scCO2 resulted in up to 1.8-fold efficiency increase compared to conventional extraction by Soxhlet for DEHP.•DEHP extraction by scCO2 led to best resolved chromatogram in comparison to that from the Soxhlet extract. The extraction of the endocrine disrupting compounds (EDC) di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), 4-nonylphenol (4-NP) and bisphenol A (BPA) from infant formula using supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) was successfully achieved. These compounds are regarded as the most frequent EDCs in food. The highest extraction in a spiked sample (2 μg/g added of each compound) was 1.8 ± 0.20, 0.5 ± 0.08 and 0.6 ± 0.08 μg/g for DEHP, 4-NP and BPA, respectively, at 400 bar and 85 °C for 40 min using methanol (5% v/v) as a co-solvent. However, only DEHP and BPA were extracted from a commercial infant formula sample in a 2.88 ± 0.24 and 0.07 ± 0.001 μg/g yields, respectively. In contrast, conventional liquid extraction with hexane yielded 1.57 ± 0.06 and 0.40 ± 0.05 μg/g of DEHP and BPA, respectively. Therefore, the use of scCO2 resulted in up to 1.8-fold efficiency increase compared to conventional extraction for DEHP. Our findings may lead to a green separation process using supercritical fluid technology towards DEHP-free infant formula.