GC–MS method for the determination of paraben preservatives in the human breast cancerous tissue

The general presumption that the preservative laden personal care products may be one of the causative agents for breast cancer, has remained a matter of controversy during this decade. Extensive studies have not been carried out to either prove or disprove the role of preservatives in breast cancer incidences. In this study we have developed a new method for the identification and quantification of the preservatives such as methyl paraben (MeP), ethyl paraben (EtP), propyl paraben (PrP) and butyl paraben (BuP) in breast tissue using Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS). Tissue was extracted by using acetone:n-hexane mixture (1:1 v/v) and derivatized with N-Methyl-N-(trimethylsilyl) trifluoroacetamide (MSTFA). The extent of reaction time and the amount of MSTFA to attain greater derivatization were optimized. The developed method yielded good recovery (mean ± SD) of 99.8 ± 5.1, 96 ± 4.4, 107 ± 17 and 113 ± 13% with relative standard deviations (RSDs) of 5.1, 4.6, 15.6 and 13%, and the limits of detection (LOD) of 2.02, 1.05, 1.71 and 3.75 ng g^{− 1} for MeP, EtP, PrP and BuP, respectively. The method was successfully validated for the determination of parabens including butyl paraben (log K_ow = 3.57) in cancerous breast tissues; this could be a promising one for screening of breast tissues and also the environment for paraben residues. As far as our knowledge goes this is the first GC–MS method for the determination of parabens in human tissue.