Exposure to bisphenol analogues can occur in several ways throughout the food production chain, with their presence at higher concentrations representing a risk to human health. This study aimed to develop effective analytical methods to simultaneously quantify BPA and fifteen bisphenol analogues (i.e., bisphenol AF, bisphenol AP, bisphenol B, bisphenol BP, bisphenol C, bisphenol E, bisphenol F, bisphenol G, bisphenol M, bisphenol P, bisphenol PH, bisphenol S, bisphenol Z, bisphenol TMC, and tetramethyl bisphenol F) present in canned foods and beverages. Samples of foods and beverages available in the Swiss and EU markets (n = 22), including canned pineapples, ravioli, and beer, were prepared and analyzed using QuEChERS GC-MS. The quantification method was compared to a QuEChERS LC-MS/MS analysis. This allowed for the selective and efficient simultaneous quantitative analysis of bisphenol analogues. Quantities of these analogues were present in 20 of the 22 samples tested, with the most frequent analytes at higher concentrations: BPA and BPS were discovered in 78% and 48% of cases, respectively. The study demonstrates the robustness of QuEChERS GC-MS for determining low quantities of bisphenol analogues in canned foods. However, further studies are necessary to achieve full knowledge of the extent of bisphenol contamination in the food production chain and its associated toxicity.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent environmental contaminants with bioaccumulation potential, particularly affecting aquatic ecosystems and human health also via fish consumption. There is therefore a need for reliable extraction methods and studies to accurately assess PFAS levels in fish, crucial for understanding bioaccumulation and potential toxicological effects on both fish and humans through consumption. This study investigated PFAS levels in freshwater fish from Swiss lakes, focusing on six common species: Coregonus wartmanni, Cyprinus carpio, Oncorhynchus mykiss, Perca fluviatilis, Salmo trutta, and Squalius cephalus. Utilizing an optimized QuEChERS extraction method, 15 PFAS were analyzed in 218 fish fillet samples using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). The results were compared to EU regulations and EFSA guidelines for tolerable weekly intake (TWI), with a specific focus on correlations between fish size and PFAS concentration. Our findings reveal significant PFAS contamination, particularly in Perca fluviatilis with perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS) levels often exceeding EU safety limits. TWI, calculated for a person of 70 kg body weight and an intake of 200 g of fish fillet, is exceeded in 95% of Coregonus wartmanni, 100% of Squalius cephalus, and in 55%, 50%, and 36% of the specimens Oncorhynchus mykiss, Salmo trutta, and Perca fluviatilis respectively. Correlation analysis between PFAS concentration and fish size in 121 Salmo trutta specimens revealed significant positive correlations for perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS), perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), and perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), and a negative correlation for perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA). These results underscore the critical need for continuous monitoring and regulatory efforts to mitigate PFAS exposure risks to both ecosystems and human health.

Rubber-related antioxidants and vulcanisation accelerators are high-production-volume chemicals widely used in tire manufacturing. Through tire and road wear particles, these substances can enter the environment and contaminate crops via atmospheric deposition, irrigation, or soil uptake. This study reports the occurrence of six such compounds - N-(1,3-dimethylbutyl)-N'-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine (6-PPD), its quinone transformation product (6-PPDQ), benzothiazole (BTH), diphenylguanidine (DPG), 1,3-dicyclohexylurea (DCU), and N,N'-diphenyl-p-phenylenediamine (DPPD) - in fresh fruits and vegetables. Using a QuEChERS-LC-MS/MS approach, the compounds were screened across multiple commodities, revealing DPG and BTH as the most frequently detected analytes, whereas 6-PPD was consistently below quantification limits. Estimated daily intakes (EDIs) were derived for adults and children, and a hazard quotient (HQ) approach was applied to characterize potential dietary risks. Across all scenarios, HQs remained well below 1.0, indicating negligible risk from fruit- and vegetable-mediated exposure. These findings highlight the low dietary relevance of these compounds compared with other exposure routes and support the need for integrated assessments that consider inhalation, dust, and other non-dietary pathways. Importantly, this study also demonstrates the practical value of applying a QuEChERS-LC-MS/MS workflow to this specific combination of analytes and food matrices, providing a robust basis for future monitoring and risk-assessment efforts.

Molecular catalysts based on coordination complexes for the generation of hydrogen via photochemical water splitting exhibit a large versatility and tunability of the catalytic properties through chemical functionalization. In the present work, we report on light-driven hydrogen production in an aqueous solution using a series of cobalt polypyridine complexes as hydrogen evolving catalysts (HECs) in combination with CuInS₂@ZnS quantum dots (QDs) as sensitizers, and ascorbate as the electron donor. A peculiar trend in activity has been observed depending on the substituents present on the polypyridine ligand. This trend markedly differs from that previously recorded using [Ru(bpy)₃]²⁺ (where bpy = 2,2’-bipyridine) as the sensitizer and can be ascribed to different kinetically limiting pathways in the photochemical reaction (viz. protonation kinetics with the ruthenium chromophore, catalyst activation via electron transfer from the QDs in the present system). Hence, this work shows how the electronic effects on light-triggered molecular catalysis are not exclusive features of the catalyst unit but depend on the whole photochemical system.

Bisphenols, including bisphenol A (BPA) and its analogues, are widely used in consumer plastics and are known endocrine disruptors. Despite increasing BPA regulations, its analogues have been found in children's products, with migration patterns varying across product categories. This study provides a large-scale evaluation of bisphenols migration from 162 products randomly selected from the Swiss market, categorized into toys (TOY), bath toys and accessories (BTA), oral supports (OSU), and feeding accessories and baby bottles (FAB). Migration was assessed using artificial saliva as a simulant, replicating buccal exposure in infants and young children. This study reveals widespread bisphenols release, with BPA and bisphenol B as the most frequently detected compounds. Notably, OSU and FAB categories, which involve direct oral contact, exhibited higher migration rates than TOY and BTA. Exposure was estimated using a deterministic model, integrating daily exposure (DE), margin of exposure (MOE), and total daily intake (TDI). MOE values below 100 were observed for BPE in OSU, indicating potential health concerns. TDI calculations suggest that exposure from these products alone exceeds the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) safety threshold for BPA. The findings underscore the urgent need for stricter regulatory oversight, particularly for bisphenol A analogues in products frequently mouthed by infants and toddlers.