Concentration of Phthalate Esters in Polyethylene Terephthalate Bottled Drinking Water in Different Storage Conditions

Background and purpose: Consumption of bottled water is increasing in the world and there are many concerns about the migration of phthalate esters into bottled water. These compounds are risky for consumers. This study investigated the concentration of phthalate esters in bottled water in polyethylene terephthalate containers in different storage conditions. Bottled water samples were stored in different conditions and then the phthalate esters were analyzed by gas extraction liquid-liquid-aqueous extraction (ALLME) method and gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS). Data analysis was done in SPSS V24. Findings showed that the average concentrations of 5 phthalate esters (DEHP, DBP, DIBP, DEP, and DMP) in different conditions increased by an average of 392.84% compared to the initial levels in control samples. Diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) concentrations in bottles of drinking water incubated at 42°c for 15 days and 25°c for 75 days were 10.33 and 9.62 ppb, respectively, which were higher than the limits. Current research showed increased concentration of phthalate esters in water samples in different storage conditions. High temperatures and prolonged storage time were found to influence the migration of phthalate esters. Therefore, PET packaging is not suggested for drinking water to be kept in higher temperatures and longer storage times.