Boron nitride quantum dots-enhanced laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry analysis and imaging of bisphenol A

Yanfang Zhao; Rabah Boukherroub; Lu Liu; Huizhi Li; Ru-Song Zhao; Qin Wei; Xiang Yu; Xiangfeng Chen

doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.132336

Boron nitride quantum dots-enhanced laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry analysis and imaging of bisphenol A

J Hazard Mater. 2023 Oct 5:459:132336. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.132336. Epub 2023 Aug 16.

Authors

Yanfang Zhao¹, Rabah Boukherroub², Lu Liu³, Huizhi Li³, Ru-Song Zhao³, Qin Wei⁴, Xiang Yu⁵, Xiangfeng Chen⁶

Affiliations

¹ Beijing Key Laboratory of Materials Utilisation of Nonmetallic Minerals and Solid Wastes, National Laboratory of Mineral Materials, School of Materials Science and Technology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, PR China; Key Laboratory for Applied Technology of Sophisticated Analytical Instruments of Shandong Province, Shandong Analysis and Test Centre, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan, Shandong 250014, PR China.
² Univ. Lille, CNRS, Centrale Lille, Univ. Polytechnique Hauts-de-France, UMR 8520, IEMN, F-59000 Lille, France.
³ Key Laboratory for Applied Technology of Sophisticated Analytical Instruments of Shandong Province, Shandong Analysis and Test Centre, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan, Shandong 250014, PR China.
⁴ School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, China.
⁵ Beijing Key Laboratory of Materials Utilisation of Nonmetallic Minerals and Solid Wastes, National Laboratory of Mineral Materials, School of Materials Science and Technology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, PR China. Electronic address: yuxiang@cugb.edu.cn.
⁶ Key Laboratory for Applied Technology of Sophisticated Analytical Instruments of Shandong Province, Shandong Analysis and Test Centre, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan, Shandong 250014, PR China. Electronic address: qlgdchenxf@126.com.

PMID: 37597390
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.132336

Abstract

Bisphenol A (BPA) displays harmful effects on the human health, including potent endocrine activity and potential impact on the development of cancer. Analysis BPA residues in water and plastic products attracted considerable attention in the past decades. However, dominantly used conventional analysis techniques are unable to directly and non-destructively identify the correct species of BPA in plastic products. Hence, this study demonstrates the effective utilisation of boron nitride quantum dots (BNQDs) as an inorganic matrix in matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry analysis and imaging (MALDI-MS & MSI) for BPA. The presence of abundant hydroxyl and amino groups on the BNQDs' surface is favourable for the formation of hydrogen bonds with BPA, and increases their ionization and chemoselectivity. Intriguingly, the BNQDs matrix offers a distinct signal for phenolic hazardous molecules featuring different hydroxyl groups. The method was applied to detect BPA at nanomolar level in environmental water, and also allowed non-destructive and in situ mapping of BPA in plastics and pacifiers. This research provides a novel strategy for adapting nanomaterials as inorganic matrices for analysis of small molecular pollutants in environmentally relevant samples using MALDI-MS & MSI.

Keywords: Bisphenol A; Boron nitride quantum dots; Imaging; MALDI-MS.