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

Notice

This is an unedited manuscript accepted for publication and provided as an Article in Press for early access at the author’s request. The article will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and galley proof review before final publication. Please be aware that errors may be identified during production that could affect the content. All legal disclaimers of the journal apply.

Year : 2026 | Volume : 28 | 02 | Page :
    By

    Pooja Upadhyay,

  • Pammi Gauba,

  • Ashwani Mathur,

  1. Research Scholar, department of Biotechnology, Jaypee Institute of Information Technology, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
  2. Professor and Head, department of Biotechnology, Jaypee Institute of Information Technology, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
  3. Professor, department of Biotechnology, Jaypee Institute of Information Technology, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India

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: Parabens, Methylparaben, electrochemical, biosensor, voltammetry, chromatography

How to cite this article:
Pooja Upadhyay, Pammi Gauba, Ashwani Mathur. 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. Nano Trends – A Journal of Nano Technology & Its Applications. 2026; 28(02):-.
How to cite this URL:
Pooja Upadhyay, Pammi Gauba, Ashwani Mathur. 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. Nano Trends – A Journal of Nano Technology & Its Applications. 2026; 28(02):-. Available from: https://journals.stmjournals.com/nts/article=2026/view=243024


References

  1. Behpour, M., Masoum, S., Lalifar, A., &  Khoobi, A. (2015). A novel method based on electrochemical approaches and multivariate calibrations for the study and determination of methylparaben in the presence of unexpected interference in cosmetics. Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, 214, 10–19. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.snb.2015.03.003
  2. Chatterjee, S., Adhikary, S., Bhattacharya, S., Chakraborty, A., Dutta, S., Roy, D., Ganguly, A., Nanda, S., & Rajak, P. (2024). Parabens as the double-edged sword: Understanding the benefits and potential health risks. Science of The Total Environment, 954, 176547. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.176547
  3. Comeche, A., Martín-Villamil, M., Picó, Y., & Varó, I. (2017). Effect of methylparaben in Artemia franciscana. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part C: Toxicology & Pharmacology, 199, 98–105. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbpc.2017.04.004
  4. Dagher, Z., Borgie, M., Magdalou, J., Chahine, R., & Greige-Gerges, H. (2012). p-Hydroxybenzoate esters metabolism in MCF7 breast cancer cells. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 50(11), 4109–4114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fct.2012.08.013
  5. Hajian, A., Ghodsi, J., Afraz, A., Rafati, A. A., Shoja, Y., Yurchenko, O., & Urban, G. (2015). Development of a Novel Biosensor for Nanomolar Detection of Methylparaben. Procedia Engineering, 120, 552–555. https://doi.org/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. (2024). Methyl Paraben Affects Porcine Oocyte Maturation Through Mitochondrial Dysfunction. Biomolecules, 14(11), 1466. https://doi.org/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, A. R., & Jillellamudi, S. B. (2022). Stability Indicating RP- UPLC Method for Quantification of Glycopyrrolate, Methylparaben and Propylparaben Assay in Liquid Oral Formulation. American Journal of Analytical Chemistry, 13(12), 538–552. https://doi.org/10.4236/ajac.2022.1312036
  10. Shen, J., & Liu, C.-C. (2007). 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, 120(2), 417–425. https://doi.org/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. (2025). 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, 24(2), B4209. https://doi.org/10.46488/NEPT.2025.v24i02.B4209
  14. Wang, L., Li, Y., Li, G., & Ye, B. (2015). A new strategy for enhancing electrochemical sensing from the MWCNTs modified electrode with Langmuir-Blodgett film, and used in the determination of methylparaben. Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, 211, 332–338. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.snb.2015.01.056
  15. Yücebaş, B. B., Yaman, Y. T., Bolat, G., Özgür, E., Uzun, L., & Abaci, S. (2020). Molecular imprinted polymer-based electrochemical sensor for selective detection of parabens. Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, 305, 127368. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.snb.2019.127368
  16. N, S., S, A. P., & Y, P. C. (2025). Extraction of paraben from blue berries and separation by column chromatography. UPI Journal of Pharmaceutical, Medical and Health Sciences, 6–9. https://doi.org/10.37022/jpmhs.v8i1.120
  17. SD, H., S, A. P., & Y, P. C. (2025). A review on the synthesis of parabens and applications of preservatives. International Journal of Indigenous Herbs and Drugs, 1–5. https://doi.org/10.46956/ijihd.v10i1.656
  18. Soni, M. G., Carabin, I. G., & Burdock, G. A. (2005). Safety assessment of esters of p-hydroxybenzoic acid (parabens). Food and Chemical Toxicology, 43(7), 985–1015. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fct.2005.01.020
  19. Sruthi, N., Parveen, A.S., Chandra, Y.P. (2025). Extraction of paraben from blueberries and separation by column chromatography. UPI Journal of Pharmaceutical, Medical and Health Sciences, 6–9. https://doi.org/10.37022/jpmhs.v8i1.120
  20. Haseeb, S.D., Parveen, S, A., & Chandra, Y, P. (2025). A review on the synthesis of parabens and applications of preservatives. International Journal of Indigenous Herbs and Drugs, 1–5. https://doi.org/10.46956/ijihd.v10i1.656
  21. Soni, M. G., Carabin, I. G., & Burdock, G. A. (2005). Safety assessment of esters of p- hydroxybenzoic acid (parabens). Food and Chemical Toxicology, 43(7), 985–1015. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fct.2005.01.020

Ahead of Print Subscription Review Article
Volume 28
02
Received 03/04/2026
Accepted 09/04/2026
Published 05/05/2026
Publication Time 32 Days


Login


My IP

PlumX Metrics