STM Journals Peer-reviewed research from Consortium e-Learning Network

Nano Trends – A Journal of Nano Technology & Its Applications Review Article

Comparative Assessment of Methylparaben concentration in Cosmetic product, analyzed using Enzyme Biosensor and ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography (UPLC): An approach towards detection of the environmental toxicant with higher accuracy and sensitivity.

  1. Pooja Upadhyay department of Biotechnology, Jaypee Institute of Information Technology, Noida
  2. Pammi Gauba department of Biotechnology, Jaypee Institute of Information Technology, Noida
  3. Ashwani Mathur department of Biotechnology, Jaypee Institute of Information Technology, Noida

Abstract

Methylparaben (MP) is one of the most widely used preservatives and is associated with a catalog of recently identified health hazards. Existing studies have also highlighted these compounds as environmental contaminants and toxicants that affect water quality and the associated microbial diversity of the habitat. The conventional methods for parabens detection is performed using chromatographic techniques, which assist in quantitative analysis of the group of compounds. However, the biggest challenge is the fact that such techniques are often time- consuming and costly. Furthermore, the pre-processing of samples is often required before chromatographic analysis. The growing scientific interest towards development of rapid detection techniques for the group of compounds, had brought a paradigm shift towards accepting the emerging techniques including nanotechnology and electrochemistry, for rapid detection of parabens. In the quest to explore and fabricate a point-of-detection device and develop a rapid detection method for low level quantification of MP, the current study highlights the use of a novel enzyme-based biosensor, designed by our group, to detect methylparaben concentration in one of the personal care products (PCP), commercially available in India. The comparative assessment of the Methylparaben concentration in the cosmetic sample, determined using the fabricated esterase-enzyme-based electrochemical biosensor, was observed to be more accurate than Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (UPLC). The results indicate the applicability, accuracy, and sensitivity of the designed biosensor for quantifying methylparaben in cosmetic samples.

Keywords

References (21)

  1. Behpour M, Masoum S, Lalifar A, Khoobi A. A novel method based on electrochemical approaches and multivariate calibrations for study and determination of methylparaben in the presence of unexpected interference in cosmetics. Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical. 2015;214:10-19. doi:10.1016/j.snb.2015.03.003
  2. Chatterjee S, Adhikary S, Bhattacharya S, Chakraborty A, Dutta S, Roy D, et al. Parabens as the double-edged sword: Understanding the benefits and potential health risks. Science of The Total Environment. 2024;954:176547. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.176547
  3. Comeche A, Martín-Villamil M, Picó Y, Varó I. Effect of methylparaben in Artemia franciscana. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part C: Toxicology & Pharmacology. 2017;199:98-105. doi:10.1016/j.cbpc.2017.04.004
  4. Dagher Z, Borgie M, Magdalou J, Chahine R, Greige-Gerges H. p-Hydroxybenzoate esters metabolism in MCF7 breast cancer cells. Food and Chemical Toxicology. 2012;50(11):4109-4114. doi:10.1016/j.fct.2012.08.013
  5. Hajian A, Ghodsi J, Afraz A, Rafati AA, Shoja Y, Yurchenko O, et al. Development of a Novel Biosensor for Nanomolar Detection of Methylparaben. Procedia Engineering. 2015;120:552-555. doi:10.1016/j.proeng.2015.08.714
  6. Hajian, A., Ghodsi, J., Afraz, A., Yurchenko, O., & Urban, G. (2016). Nanomolar detection of methylparaben by a cost-effective hemoglobin-based biosensor. Materials Science and Engineering: C, 69, 122–127. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msec.2016.06.06
  7. Huang H, Huang C, Li Y, Liang X, Kim N, Xu Y. Methyl Paraben Affects Porcine Oocyte Maturation Through Mitochondrial Dysfunction. Biomolecules. 2024;14(11):1466. doi:10.3390/biom14111466
  8. Mertens, M., & De Maesschalck, L. (2015). Types of Sensor Technologies: Functionalities and Measurements. In Handbook of Smart Homes, Health Care and Well-Being (pp. 1–11). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319- 01904-8_17-1
  9. Pippalla S, Nekkalapudi AR, Jillellamudi SB. Stability Indicating RP-UPLC Method for Quantification of Glycopyrrolate, Methylparaben and Propylparaben Assay in Liquid Oral Formulation. American Journal of Analytical Chemistry. 2022;13(12):538-552. doi:10.4236/ajac.2022.1312036
  10. Shen J, Liu CC. Development of a screen-printed cholesterol biosensor: Comparing the performance of gold and platinum as the working electrode material and fabrication using a self-assembly approach. Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical. 2007;120(2):417-425. doi:10.1016/j.snb.2006.02.035
  11. Soni, M. G., Taylor, S. L., Greenberg, N. A., & Burdock, G. A. (2002). Evaluation of the health aspects of methyl paraben: a review of the published literature. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 40(10), 1335–1373. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0278-6915(02)00107-
  12. Upadhyay, P., Gauba, P., & Mathur, A. (2021). Substrate Specificity of Paraben Towards Liver Esterase: An In-Silico and Titrimetric Analysis. Current Trends in Biotechnology and Pharmacy, 15(6), 114–117. https://doi.org/10.5530/ctbp.2021.6.20
  13. Upadhyay P, Gauba P, Mathur A. From Preservative to Environmental and Health Hazards: A Review on Diverse Applications, Health Impacts and Detection Methods of Paraben(s). Nature Environment and Pollution Technology. 2025;24(2):B4209. doi:10.46488/nept.2025.v24i02.b4209
  14. Wang L, Li Y, Li G, Ye B. A new strategy for enhancing electrochemical sensing from MWCNTs modified electrode with Langmuir-Blodgett film and used in determination of methylparaben. Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical. 2015;211:332-338. doi:10.1016/j.snb.2015.01.056
  15. Yücebaş BB, Yaman YT, Bolat G, Özgür E, Uzun L, Abaci S. Molecular imprinted polymer based electrochemical sensor for selective detection of paraben. Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical. 2020;305:127368. doi:10.1016/j.snb.2019.127368
  16. N S, S AP, Y PC. Extraction of paraben from blue berries and separation by column chromatography. UPI Journal of Pharmaceutical, Medical and Health Sciences. 2025:6-9. doi:10.37022/jpmhs.v8i1.120
  17. SD H, S AP, Y PC. A review on synthesis of paraben and applications of preservatives. International Journal of Indigenous Herbs and Drugs. 2025:1-5. doi:10.46956/ijihd.v10i1.656
  18. Soni MG, Carabin IG, Burdock GA. Safety assessment of esters of p-hydroxybenzoic acid (parabens). Food and Chemical Toxicology. 2005;43(7):985-1015. doi:10.1016/j.fct.2005.01.020
  19. N S, S AP, Y PC. Extraction of paraben from blue berries and separation by column chromatography. UPI Journal of Pharmaceutical, Medical and Health Sciences. 2025:6-9. doi:10.37022/jpmhs.v8i1.120
  20. SD H, S AP, Y PC. A review on synthesis of paraben and applications of preservatives. International Journal of Indigenous Herbs and Drugs. 2025:1-5. doi:10.46956/ijihd.v10i1.656
  21. Soni MG, Carabin IG, Burdock GA. Safety assessment of esters of p-hydroxybenzoic acid (parabens). Food and Chemical Toxicology. 2005;43(7):985-1015. doi:10.1016/j.fct.2005.01.020
Support