Migration of Plasticizers from Polyethylene Terephthalate and Low-Density Polyethylene Casing into Bottled Water: A Case Study From India

• Published in: Bulletin of environmental contamination and toxicology Vol. 109; no. 6; pp. 949 - 955
• Main Authors: Mukhopadhyay, Moitraiyee, Jalal, Mohammed, Vignesh, G., Ziauddin, Muhammed, Sampath, Srimurali, Bharat, Girija K., Nizzetto, Luca, Chakraborty, Paromita
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01-12-2022; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Aquatic Pollution; Bottled water; Bottles; Density; Dioctyl phthalate; Drinking water; Drinking Water - analysis; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Esters; Health risks; Leaching; Low density polyethylenes; n-Butyl phthalate; Phthalates; Phthalic acid; Plasticizers; Plasticizers - analysis; Pollution; Polyethylene; Polyethylene terephthalate; Polyethylene Terephthalates; Polymers; Polynomials; Soil Science & Conservation; Waste Water Technology; Water analysis; Water Management; Water Pollution Control; Water sampling; Plasticizers; Mineral bottled water; Migration; PET; LDPE
• ISSN: 0007-4861; 1432-0800
• DOI: 10.1007/s00128-022-03474-x

Mineral bottled water packed in three polymers viz., virgin polyethylene terephthalate (PET), recycled PET, and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) were investigated for the occurrence, migration, and health risk of phthalic acid esters (PAEs) at 25 °C, 35 °C, and 45 °C. The average concentration of six USEPA priority PAEs in refrigerated water samples was highest in recycled PET> LDPE > virgin PET. The highest leaching was seen at 45 °C after 2 days for LDPE water packets with ∑
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PAEs amounting to 64,300 ng/L. Similarly, for recycled PET, the highest migration was seen at 45 °C after seven days (3,800 µg/L). Bis 2-ethyl hexyl phthalate (DEHP) and di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP) were the predominant plasticizers from PET bottles and LDPE water packets, respectively. Predicted concentration after three weeks based on best fit obtained through the polynomial model for PET bottles was seen higher than the recommended limit suggested by USEPA (6 µg/L) and WHO (8 µg/L).