Migration of phthalate compounds from polyethylene terephthalate bottles under different temperature conditions- probabilistic human health risk assessment

This study analyzed the migration of benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP), di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), and dibutyl phthalate (DBP) from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles used for beverages and edible liquids at different temperatures (4, 15, 25, and 40 degrees C). Solid phase extraction coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) was used for analysis. The results showed that higher temperatures increased the migration of phthalates from PET bottles into beverages/edible liquids. The lowest phthalate release occurred at 4 degrees C, while higher temperatures (15, 25, and 40 degrees C) increased leaching. The health risk assessment concluded that the levels of these phthalate compounds in the PET bottles do not pose a significant health risk in terms of non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic effects, even when stored at higher temperatures. It can be concluded that controlling storage conditions and storing PET bottles at lower temperatures can help reduce the migration of phthalates and contribute to a safer use of PET containers for food and beverage storage.