Migration of formaldehyde and acetaldehyde into mineral water in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles

Abstract

The levels of formaldehyde (FA) and acetaldehyde (AA) in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles and in commercial mineral water are reported. All the water samples bottled in Japan contained detectable levels of FA (10.1–27.9 μg l−1) and AA (44.3–107.8 μg l−1). Of 11 European bottled water samples, eight did not contain either FA or AA, while the remaining three had detectable levels of FA (7.4–13.7 μg l−1) and AA (35.9–46.9 μg l−1). In three North American bottled water samples, two contained FA (13.6 and 19.5 μg l−1) and AA (41.4 and 44.8 μg l−1), and one did not. Regardless of the region of origin, all the sterilized water samples contained FA and AA, whilst in contrast, none of the unsterilized water without carbonate contained FA or AA. Of the carbonated water samples, three contained FA and AA, and one did not. When fortified with FA and AA, the commercial water sample without otherwise detectable FA and AA was able to reduce levels, although the commercial water sample containing FA and AA could not. The presence of bacteria in the commercial water samples was investigated using an ATP-based bioluminescent assay and heterotrophic plate count method. The commercial water without FA and AA contained heterotrophic bacteria, whilst the commercial water with FA and AA did not contain detectable bacteria. It is suggested that in this case both FA and AA migrated from PET materials, but were subsequently decomposed by the heterotrophic bacteria in the unsterilized water.