Assessment of Phthalates and Bisphenol-A in Plastic Packaged Water and Evaluation of Risk

Abdulrasaq O. Oyedeji & Emmanuel E. Ashade, Volume 3 Issue 2, December 2022 Pages 150-158, Published: 2022-12-17

Abstract

Bisphenol-A and phthalates are moderately water- soluble compounds synthetic chemicals that are classified as endocrine disruptors used in the production of polyethylene bottles and other packaging materials. The present study was designed to perform a trace analysis of the two plasticizers in different brands of polyethylene-packaged water samples. Methylene dichloride was used to extract the analytes, which were then analysed for BPA and phthalate esters using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography with mass spectrometry (GC- MS), respectively. BPA was found in several samples, however its mean concentration ranged from 554.14±44.11 to 1497.5±2.18 µg/L. The phthalates had a concentration range of 12740±1070.4 to 130±2.32 µg/L across the different water brands. Bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and di-n-butylphthalate (DBP) noted for their embryotoxic effects were the most prevalent phthalates in the samples and they exceeded the USEPA and WHO limits in almost all the brands. While the concentrations observed in some packaged water brands were above regulatory limits, no significant health risk was observed for the regular ingestion of BPA and phthalates in the samples as the HQs for the various brands were less than one.