A Highly Sensitive and Simple Spectrophotometric Method for the Determination of Bisphenol F in Environmental Water Samples via Diazotization-Coupling Reaction

Abstract

In this work, a spectrophotometric method is proposed for Bisphenol F (BPF) tracking in environmental water system, which is based on targeted chemical derivatization. The practical aspects of the synthesis, diazotization and controlled coupling of sulfanilic acid to BPF in alkaline media to produce the highly stable dark-red azo chromophore were successfully completed. In the lab, optimal reaction conditions were determined and the reaction conditions were maintained at 50 °C for 50 minutes to obtain a peak absorbance λmax at 431 nm. This binding ratio was confirmed by the stoichiometric testing. A high sensitivity (LOD: 0.0115 µg/mL) and an excellent linear working range (1.0-12.0 µg/mL with an R2 = 0.997) were found. The percentage recovery in the validation trial was determined to be very good (103.05%) and there was very little interference from the coeluting phenolics. This method was structurally applied to various natural systems, efficiently quantified trace BPF in wastewater, local rivers and lakes. However, for environmental water samples containing BPF at concentrations below the method’s linear working range, a suitable preconcentration step may be required to achieve reliable trace-level determination.