A comparison of electrospray ionization, atmospheric pressure chemical ionization, and atmospheric pressure photoionization for the liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometric analysis of bisphenols. Application to bisphenols in thermal paper receipts and U.S. currency notes.

The measurement of BPA and bisphenol analogs in thermal paper receipts and transfer of bisphenols from receipts to currency notes is of increasing importance to assess human dermal exposure routes to this class of compounds. Equivalent sensitivity between sulfone- and non-sulfone-containing bisphenols is achievable through the use of alternate ionization sources such as APCI and APPI that circumvents tedious and time-consuming derivatization procedures to render analytical sensitivity by ESI.