Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Phthalates leaching from plastic food and pharmaceutical contact materials by FTIR and GC-MS

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Environmental Science and Pollution Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Phthalates are often used as plasticizers in the production of plastic food contact materials (FCMs) and pharmaceutical contact materials (PCMs), and having in mind that they are not bound to plastics, phthalates may easily leach from plastics under certain conditions. The aim of this research is determination of phthalates leaching potential from different plastic materials and quantitative determination of 5 phthalates (dimethyl phthalate (DMP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP), benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP), diethyl hexyl phthalate (DEHP), and di-n-octyl phthalate (DOP)) in 44 different plastic articles of 7 different plastic polymers used as FCMs and PCMs by FTIR, GC-MS, and gravimetric methods. The FTIR technique is shown to be rapid method for determination of phthalate content in PVC articles. Comparing of FTIR method with GC-MS and gravimetric showed that separation and quantitative determination of each phthalate separately favor the GC-MS method, because FTIR method determines the total amount of phthalate content. However, the FTIR method is less expensive and demanding in terms of sample preparation, which is suited for use in pre-screening analysis. The results of GC-MS phthalates determination showed that PVC articles used as PCMs contain DEHP in significant amount, from 5.19 to 28.76% by weight and could be a potential risk to human health.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

Data availability

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

References

  • Amanzadeh H, Yamini Y, Moradi M, Abdossalmi Asl Y (2016) Determination of phthalate esters in drinking water and edible vegetable oil samples by headspace solid phase microextraction using graphene/polyvinylchloride nanocomposite coated fiber coupled to gas chromatography-flame ionization detector. J Chromatogr A 1465:38–46. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chroma.2016.08.068

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Amin MM, Ebrahimpour K, Parastar S, Shoshtari-Yeganeh B, Hashemu M (2018) Method development of di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate metabolites detection by dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry from urine. Int J Env Health Eng. https://doi.org/10.4103/ijehe.ijehe_14_17

  • Anderson W, Castle L, Scotter M, Massey R, Springall C (2001) A biomarker approach to measuring human dietary exposure to certain phthalate diesters. Food Addit Contam A 18(12):1068–1074. https://doi.org/10.1080/02652030110050113

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bacha C, Dauchy X, Chagnon MC, Erienne S (2012) Chemical compounds and toxicological assessments of drinking water stored in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles: a source of controversy reviewed. Water Res 46(3):571–583. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2011.11.062

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Benjamin S, Masai E, Kamimura N, Takahashi K, Anderson R, Faisal PA (2017) Phthalates impact human health: epidemiological evidences and plausible mechanism of action. J Hazard Mater 340:360–383. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2017.06.036

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bogdanovic D, Andjelkovic D, Kostic I, Kocic G, Anndjelkovic T (2019) The effects of temperature and ultrasound on the migration of di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate from plastic packaging into dairy products. Bulg Chem Commun 51(2):242–248. https://doi.org/10.34049/bcc.51.2.5027

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dural E, Determination of selected phthalates in some commercial cosmetic products by HPLC-UV. (2020) High throughput screening. Comb Chem https://doi.org/10.2174/1386207323666200630113850

  • European Union, Regulation (EC) No. 1272/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures, amending and repealing Directives 67/548/EEC and 1999/45/EC, and amending Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006, 2008.

  • Fankhauser-Noti A, Grob K (2007) Blank problems in trace analysis of diethylhexyl and dibutyl phthalate: investigation of the sources, tips and tricks. Anal Chim Acta 582:353–360. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aca.2006.09.012

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • French law Amendment n° 2012-1442 of december 24,2012 to the suspension of the manufacture, import, export and placing on the market of any specializing in food packaging containing bisphenol A (1) journal officiel de la république française n°0300, 26 décembre 2012 page 20395.

  • French law Amendment n° 2012-1442 of décembre 24, 2012, n°1610 to the French law voted 10 April, 10 2015.

  • Giupponi L, Pentimalli D, Manzo A, Panseri S, Giorgi A (2018) Effectiveness of fine root fingerprinting as a tool to identify plants of the Alps: results of a preliminary study. Plant Biosyst. 152(3):464–473. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/11263504.2017.1306003

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hadjmohammadi MR, Ranjbari E (2012) Utilization of homogeneous liquid–liquid extraction followed by HPLC-UV as a sensitive method for the extraction and determination of phthalate esters in environmental water samples. Int J Environ Anal Chem 92(11):1312–1324. https://doi.org/10.1080/03067319.2011.603049

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hampton R, Havel J (2006) Introductory biological statistics, 2nd. edn. Waveland Press, Long Grov, pp 99–120

    Google Scholar 

  • Kissin Y, Liu X, David J, Pollick D, Brungard N, Chang M (2008) Ziegler-Natta catalysts for propylene polymerization: chemistry of reactions leading to the formation of active centers. J Mol Catal A: Chem 287(1-2):45–52. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molcata.2008.02.026

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kostic I, Andjelkovic T, Andjelkovic D, Cvetkovic T, Pavlovic D (2016) Determination of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate in plastic medical devices. Hem Ind 70(2):159–164. https://doi.org/10.2298/HEMIND141129023K

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liang P, Linlin Zhang L, Peng L, Qian Li Q, Zhao E (2010) Determination of phthalate esters in soil samples by microwave assisted extraction and high performance liquid chromatography. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 85(2):147–151. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-010-0078-x

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Milojkovic D, Andjelkovic D, Kocic G, Andjelkovic T (2015) Evaluation of a method for phthalate extraction from milk related to the milk dilution ratio. J Serb Chem Soc 80(8):983–996. https://doi.org/10.2298/JSC141204028M

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Qian S, Ji H, Wu XX, Li N, Yang Y, Bu J, Xiaoming Zhang X, Ling Qiao L, Yu H, Xu N, Zhang C (2018) Detection and quantification analysis of chemical migrants in plastic food contact products. Plos One. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0208467

  • Rowdhwal SSS, Chen J (2018) Toxic effects of di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate: an overview. Biomed Res Int. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/1750368

  • Rudel R, Perovich L (2009) Endocrine disrupting chemicals in indoor and outdoor air. Atmos Environ 43(1):170–181. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2008.09.025

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Silano V, Baviera JMB, Bolognesu C, Chesson A, Cocconcelli PS, Crebelli R, Gott DM, Grob K, Lampi E, Mortensen A, Riviere G, Steffensen IL, Tlustos C, Van Loveren H, Vernis L, Zorn H, Cravedi JP, Fortes C, Pocas MDFT, Waalkens-Berendsen I, Wolfle D, Arcella D, Cascio C, Castoldi AF, Volk K, Castle L (2019) Update of the risk assessment of di-butylphthalate (DBP), butyl-benzyl-phthalate (BBP), bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP), di-isononylphthalate (DINP) and diisodecylphthalate (DIDP) for use in food contact materials. Efsa J 17(12):5838–5923. https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2019.5838

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Visser R (2009) Reliability of proficiency test results for metals and phthalates in plastics. Accred Qual Assur 14:29–34. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00769-008-0465-8

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Laboratory Certification Program (1996) Analytical detection limit guidance & laboratory guide for determining method detection limits. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources: Wisconsin, Madison, 1996. http://dnr.wi.gov/regulations/labcert/documents/guidance/-lodguide.pdf

  • Xin Gao X, Yang B, Tang Z, Xin Luo X, Wang F, Xu H, Cai X (2014) Determination of phthalates released from paper packaging materials by solid-phase extraction-high-performance liquid chromatography. J Chromatogr Sci 52(5):383–389. https://doi.org/10.1093/chromsci/bmt046

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhou X, Shao X, Shu J, Liu M, Liu H, Feng X, Liu F (2012) Thermally stable ionic liquid-based sol–gel coating for ultrasonic extraction–solid-phase microextraction–gas chromatography determination of phthalate esters in agricultural plastic films. Talanta 89:129–135. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.talanta.2011.12.001

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Funding

This work received support from the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia under contract no. 451-03-68/2020-14/200124.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Science and Mathematics, Department of Chemistry, University of Niš, Višegradska 33, Niš, 18000, Serbia

    Tatjana Andjelković, Danica Bogdanović & Ivana Kostić

  2. Faculty of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry, University of Niš, Bulevar dr Zorana Đinđića 81, Niš, 18000, Serbia

    Gordana Kocić

  3. Faculty of Technology, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University of Niš, Bulevar oslobođenja 124, Leskovac, 16000, Serbia

    Goran Nikolić

  4. Department of Veterinary Science and Public Health, University of Milan, Via Celoria 10, 20133, Milan, Italy

    Radmila Pavlović

Authors
  1. Tatjana Andjelković
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Danica Bogdanović
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ivana Kostić
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Gordana Kocić
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Goran Nikolić
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Radmila Pavlović
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. GK contributed to the study conception in specifying the significance of problem arriving with presence of phthalates in food and pharmaceutical, exposure routes, and health issues. Material preparation, data collection, and analysis were performed by TA, DB, IV, and RP. GN analyzed FTIR spectra of investigated articles. TA was a main contributor in writing the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tatjana Andjelković.

Ethics declarations

Ethics approval and consent to participate

Not applicable.

Consent for publication

Not applicable.

Competing interests

The authors declare no competing interests.

Additional information

Responsible Editor: Ester Heath

Publisher’s note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Andjelković, T., Bogdanović, D., Kostić, I. et al. Phthalates leaching from plastic food and pharmaceutical contact materials by FTIR and GC-MS. Environ Sci Pollut Res 28, 31380–31390 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-12724-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-12724-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation