Phthalate Esters Content Research Articles

Deficit irrigation of reclaimed water relieves oat drought stress while controlling the risk of PAEs pollution in microplastics-polluted soil

Reclaimed water irrigation has emerged as a critical alternative in agricultural regions facing water scarcity. However, soil pollution with microplastics (MPs) greatly increases the exposure risk and toxic effects of reclaimed water contaminations, such as phthalate esters (PAEs). A field experiment consisting of soil column pots evaluated the feasibility of using PAEs-contaminated water to irrigate oats (Avena sativa L.) in drought seasons. Three irrigation regimens based on soil matric potential thresholds (−10 kPa, −30 kPa, −50 kPa) explored the impact of PAE-contaminated water on oat physiology and environmental pollution in soil with and without MPs contamination. The results showed that treating oats at the SMP of −30 kPa boosted shoot biomass by 3.1%–14.0% compared to the drought condition at −50 kPa, and the root biomass of oats was significantly increased. The physiological metrics of oats indicated that irrigation at −50 kPa induced drought stress and oxidative damage in oats, particularly during the milk stage. Different irrigation treatments influenced the accumulation of PAEs in plants, soil, and leachate. The ratios of leachate to irrigation water in −10 kPa treatment with and without MPs addition were 1.18% and 4.48%, respectively, which aggravated the accumulation of pollutants in deep soil layers and may cause groundwater pollution. MPs pollution in soil increased the content of PAEs in the harvested oats and reduced the transport and accumulation of PAEs in deep soil layers (20–50 cm) and leachate. The coupling of PAEs in irrigation water with soil MPs pollution may exacerbate plant damage. However, the damage can be minimized under the scheduled irrigation at −30 kPa which could balance crop yield and potential risks.

Fabrication of Magnetic Molecularly Imprinted Polymers for Selective Extraction of Dibutyl Phthalates in Food Matrices.

In this study, a novel magnetic molecularly imprinted polymeric material (Fe3O4@MOF@MIP-160) with a metal-organic backbone (Fe3O4@MOF) carrier was prepared using dibutyl phthalate (DBP) as a template. The material can be used for the efficient, rapid, and selective extraction of trace amounts of phthalic acid esters (PAEs) in food and can detect them via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The synthesis conditions of the materials were optimized to prepare the Fe3O4@MOF@MIP160 with the highest adsorption performance. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectra (FT-IR), Vibration Sample Magnetic (VSM), and the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) method were used to characterize the materials. Compared with Fe3O4@MOF and the magnetic non-imprinted polymeric material (Fe3O4@MOF@NIP), Fe3O4@MOF@MIP-160 possesses the advantages of easy and rapid manipulation of magnetic materials, the advantages of high specific surface area and the stability of metal-organic frameworks, and the advantages of high selectivity of molecularly imprinted polymers. Fe3O4@MOF@MIP-160 has good recognition and adsorption capacity for di-butyl phthalate (DBP) and diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP): the adsorption capacity for DBP and DEHP is 260 mg·g-1 and 240.2 mg·g-1, and the adsorption rate is fast (reaching equilibrium in about 20 min). Additionally, Fe3O4@MOF@MIP160 could be recycled six times, making it cost-effective, easy to operate, and time-saving as compared to traditional solid-phase extraction materials. The phthalate ester content in drinking water, fruit juice, and white wine was analyzed, with recoveries ranging from 70.3% to 100.7%. This proved that Fe3O4@MOF@MIP160 was suitable for detecting and removing PAEs from food matrices.

Phthalate ester (PAEs) accumulation in wheat tissues and dynamic changes of rhizosphere microorganisms in the field with plastic-film residue

Phthalates acid esters (PAEs) have accumulated in soil and crops like wheat as a result of the widespread usage of plastic films. It is yet unclear, nevertheless, how these dynamic variations in PAE accumulation in wheat tissues relate to rhizosphere bacteria in the field. In this work, a field root-bag experiment was conducted to examine the changes of PAEs accumulation in the rhizosphere soil and wheat tissues under film residue conditions at four different growth stages of wheat, and to clarify the roles played by the microbial community in the alterations. Results showed that the plastic film residues significantly increased the concentrations of PAEs in soils, wheat roots, straw and grains. The maximum ΣPAEs concentration in soils and different wheat tissues appeared at the maturity, with the ΣPAEs concentration of 1.57 mg kg−1, 4.77 mg kg−1, 5.21 mg kg−1, 1.81 mg kg−1 for rhizosphere soils, wheat roots, straw and grains, respectively. The plastic film residues significantly changed the functions and components of the bacterial community, increased the stochastic processes of the bacterial community assembly, and reduced the complexity and stability of the bacterial network. In addition, the present study identified some bacteria associated with plastic film residues and PAEs degradation in key-stone taxa, and their relative abundances were positive related to the ΣPAEs concentration in soils. The PAEs content and key-stone taxa in rhizosphere soil play a crucial role in the formation of rhizosphere soil bacterial communities. This field study provides valuable information for better understanding the role of microorganisms in the complex system consisting of film residue, soil and crops.

Accumulation and Transport of Phthalic Acid Esters in the Soil-Plant System of Agricultural Fields with Different Years of Film Mulching

In this study, we investigated the accumulation and transport patterns of phthalate ester (PAEs) compounds in the soil-plant system of maize and cabbage fields under different film mulching years. The total content of five PAEs in the maize fields soil ranged from 156.19 to 566.1 μg kg−1 with film mulching for 0–20 years. The total content of five PAEs in the cabbage field soils ranged from 252.48 to 559.07 μg kg−1 with film mulching for 0–30 years. The PAEs content in cabbage and maize field soils was lower than the environmental quality standards for soil (GB 15618-2008). With the increase in film mulching years, both maize and cabbage soil PAEs contents increased significantly (p < 0.05), while among the five PAEs, the contents of di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP) and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) increased the most significantly, and the content of DEHP in the soils was the highest. The DEHP content in soils planted with maize ranges from 134.03 to 406.79 μg kg−1 with the film mulching for 20 years; while in soil planted with cabbage, it ranges from 229.35 to 405.2 μg kg−1 with the film mulching for 30 years. The DEHP content in all of the soils has not exceed the limit value established by the USEPA in U.S. Five PAEs were detected in maize seeds and cabbage leaves, among which the DEHP content exceeded the maximum residue limit set by the National Food Safety Standard (GB 9685-2016) for DEHP in food after more than 10 years of mulching. The bioaccumulation and translocation factors in cabbage showed a significant positive correlation with the film mulching years. However, the bioaccumulation factor and translocation factor in maize have weak correlations with the film mulching years, possibly due to the lower PAEs content in the deep soil layers where maize roots are distributed. Our research revealed a significant association between the presence and distribution of PAEs in crops and mulching years. These novel discoveries provide fundamental information for controlling PAEs pollution in agricultural environments.

Influence of leachate microenvironment on the occurrence of phthalate esters in landfills

Phthalate esters (PAEs) are added to various products as plasticizers. Plastic waste containing PAEs enters landfills as they age with use. However, the influence of microenvironmental changes on the occurrence of PAEs during landfill stabilization is still unknown. In this study, we evaluated the relationship between the physical and chemical properties of leachate, the structure of bacterial communities and the chemical structure of dissolved organic matter (DOM), and the occurrence of PAEs and the mechanism underlying their responses to changes. Landfill leachate in different stabilization states had high Cl− and NH4+ contents and its metal element (Cr, Pb, and Zn) contents generally decreased with the increase in landfill ages. Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Firmicutes were important phyla and had an average relative abundance of 68.63%. The lignin/carboxylate-rich alicyclic molecule structure was the main component of DOM (56%–64%). Of the 6-priority controlled PAEs in leachate, di-n-butyl phthalate was the most abundant (1046 μg L−1), while butyl phthalate was not detected. The results showed that pH, the relative abundance of Chloroflexi, and the value of SUVA254 can directly influence the occurrence of PAEs in leachate. The positive and negative effects vary depending on the PAE content and molecular weight. DBP and DEHP have higher environmental risks in the aquatic system. These results are intended to provide a scientific basis for the evolutionary characterization of the microenvironment in complex environmental systems and the control of novel contaminants, such as PAEs.

Mulch-derived microplastic aging promotes phthalate esters and alters organic carbon fraction content in grassland and farmland soils

Agricultural plastic mulch is a major microplastics (MPs) source in terrestrial ecosystems. However, knowledge about the aging characteristics of mulch-derived MPs entering natural and agricultural soils and their effects on phthalate esters (PAEs) and organic carbon fractions is still limited. Black (contains black masterbatches) and white polyethylene (PE) and biodegradable (Bio, Poly propylene carbonate and Polybutylene adipate terephthalate synthetic material (PPC+PBAT)) mulch-derived MPs, at 0.3% (w/w) dose, were added to grassland and farmland soils for eight-week incubation. Microplastic (MP) aging degree was explored by quantifying the carbonyl index (CI). The soil PAEs and organic carbon fractions were also analyzed. After incubation, black and white PE-MP aged greater in farmland than in grassland. PAEs accumulated highest in PE-MP treatment (5.27–6.41 mg kg−1) followed by Bio-MP (1.88–2.38 mg kg−1). Soil organic carbon (SOC), particulate organic carbon (POC), and microbial biomass carbon (MBC) were reduced by 5.3%–8.2%, 31.8%–41.6%, and 39.7%–63.0%, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) was increased by 10.1%–27.6% in grassland containing MP compared to control. MPs’ aging degree promoted PAEs content or altered nutrients, then regulated soil microbial biomass and extracellular enzyme activity directly or indirectly, ultimately affecting SOC. Environmental implicationMicroplastics are persistent environmental pollutants that gradually undergo surface aging in response to extracellular enzymes secreted by microorganisms. As microplastics age, their surface roughness and functional groups change; thus, organochemical contaminants gradually leach out. Therefore, this study analyzed the aging of mulch film-derived microplastics under the action of diverse microorganisms in farmland and grassland soils and the effect on plasticizer and organic carbon fractions. The results proved that polyethylene microplastic aging degree was highest in farmland soil. Besides, biodegradable microplastic caused lower contamination of phthalate esters than polyethylene, but they affected soil carbon balance in grassland and farmland soils. Statement of environmental implicationThis study highlights that MPs affect organic carbon fractions by influencing the PAEs, available nutrients, and extracellular enzyme activity.

Content level and risk assessment of phthalate esters in surface water of Bosten Lake, China.

Bosten Lake is the main fishing and grazing area in Xinjiang. The pollution of phthalate esters (PAEs) in water has attracted much attention, but limited research has been conducted on PAEs in Bosten Lake. The distribution of PAEs in fifteen sampling sites of surface water in the dry and flood seasons were investigated to explore the content level of PAEs in Bosten Lake, and the risk was evaluated. Seventeen PAEs were detected by GC-MS after liquid-liquid and solid-phase purification. Results showed that the content of ∑PAEs in the water during dry and flood seasons is ND-26.226μg/L and ND-7.179μg/L. The content of PAEs in the water of Bosten Lake is at a medium level. DBP and DIBP are the main PAEs. The content of PAEs is related to the physicochemical properties of water, and the physicochemical properties of water in dry season have a more serious impact on PAEs. PAEs in water mainly come from domestic pollution and chemical production. The results of health risk assessment indicate that PAEs in water do not pose a carcinogenic risk or a non carcinogenic risk to human, which can meet the conditions of Bosten Lake as a fishing ground and livestock base, but the pollution of PAEs cannot be ignored.

Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Phthalate Esters in Tea Plants Growing Different Geographical Environments and an Attempt on Their Risk Assessment

The phthalate esters (PAEs) have become ubiquitous pollutants. In the present work, we investigated their pollution on teas. Dimethyl phthalate (DMP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), diisobutyl phthalate (DiBP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP), and di-(2-ethyl) hexyl phthalate (DEHP) were detected in all fresh tea leaves with DBP being the major congener of PAEs in teas followed by DiBP and DEHP. Seasonal variation, spatial distribution difference, correlationship of environmental factors, and potential health risks of PAEs were analyzed. The PAEs content in one bud and two leaves was lower than that in upper mature leaves in tea plants. The PAEs content in fresh tea leaves was the lowest in spring, while it was high in autumn and winter. The correlation analysis results showed that PAEs had significantly negative correlation with ambient air temperature, while it was positively correlated with the air quality index. PAEs analysis of spring tea in Anhui and Zhejiang provinces further indicated that the factor of provincial regions had little impact on the PAEs pollution level in tea. By contrast, the different environmental areas significantly affected PAE pollution, especially the agricultural areas. The human daily intake-based (13 g/day) risk assessment indicated that both the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks (1.76 × 10-7-6.12 × 10-7) of PAEs via tea consumption were acceptable, with the estrogen equivalence (1.60-6.29 ng E2/kg) being at a medium level. This study provides significant information for pollution control and risk assessment of PAEs in Chinese tea production.

The content of PAEs in field soils caused by the residual film has a periodical peak

The wide use of plastic film mulch has led to the release of phthalate esters (PAEs), which seriously threatens the soil environment and the safety of crop production. However, it is unknown whether there is a maximum threshold of soil PAEs accumulation induced by plastic film residue, and the dynamic changes of soil PAEs under field conditions are still unclear. To address these issues, a field experiment was conducted to investigate the temporal fluctuations of soil PAEs content and the response of microbial community structure in the field with plastic film residue. Results showed that the content of soil PAEs fluctuated during an observation period of one year, had a periodical peak in winter and summer, and was exacerbated by the increase in the aging degree and residual amount of plastic films. The PAEs content in soil with black films was higher than the US soil allowable criteria. High-throughput sequencing analysis showed that the addition of residual film significantly increased the alpha diversity of bacterial communities, changed the structure of bacterial community, and generated significant disturbances in bacterial function. Besides, the residual film recruited more microbiota related to plastic film and PAEs degradation. Results of the present study provide insight into the dynamic variation of soil PAEs caused by plastic film residue in one year, which is important to help evaluate the pollution risk of PAEs on soils and crops caused by residual plastic film.

Microbial community structure and potential function associated with poly-3-hydroxybutyrate biopolymer-boosted activation of peroxymonosulfate for waste-activated sludge decontamination

Excess waste-activated sludge (WAS) is a major biosolid management problem due to its biohazardous and recalcitrant content of phthalate esters (PAEs). This study aimed to assess the combined use of biopolymer, poly-3-hydroxybutyrate and peroxymonosulfate to degrade PAEs and decontaminate WAS. Poly-3-hydroxybutyrate was biosynthesized by Cupriavidus sp. L7L. The combined poly-3-hydroxybutyrate and peroxymonosulfate process removed 86 % of PAEs from WAS in 12 h. The carbonyl groups of poly-3-hydroxybutyrate were conducive to peroxymonosulfate activation leading to PAE degradation followed the radical pathway and surface-mediated electron transfer. Poly-3-hydroxybutyrate and peroxymonosulfate also enriched the PAE-biodegrading microbes in WAS. The microbial population and the functional composition in response to peroxymonosultate treatment was identified, with the genus Sulfurisoma being the most abundant. This synergistic treatment, i.e., advanced oxidation process, was augmented by highly promising microbial polyesters, exhibited important implications for WAS pretreatment toward circular bioeconomy that encompasses carbon–neutral biorefinery and mitigate pollution.

Difference in Accumulation of Five Phthalate Esters in Different Elite Tea Cultivars and Their Correlation with Environment Factors

Plasticizers, i.e., phthalate esters (PAEs) were liable to be detected from fresh tea leaves and tea products. In order to monitor the pollution of PAEs in tea plants and compare the difference among PAEs content of tea cultivars, fifteen elite cultivars in tea plant cultivar gardens were chosen. PAEs were extracted from the upper mature leaves and lower mature leaves of tea bushes and determined via GC–MS once every two months, six times in total in one anniversary. DMP, DEP, DiBP, DBP, and DEHP were detected in fifteen tea cultivars. DBP was the predominant congener in fifteen tea cultivars, which was followed by DiBP. PAEs content in upper mature leaves was significantly lower than that in lower mature leaves in all months. There was no significant difference among PAEs content from the fifteen tea cultivars. Except for summer, the PAEs content of fresh tea leaves gradually increased from spring to winter. The correlation analysis result was that PAEs had significant negative correlation with air temperature and positive correlation with air quality index (p < 0.01). The mutual correlation among the five PAEs were significant (p < 0.05). According to cluster analysis, three types of fresh tea leaves with high, medium, and low accumulation accounted for 26.7%, 20%, and 53.3%, respectively. The results could supply a reference for monitoring of pollution of PAEs in fresh tea leaves, as well as an evaluation of PAEs content difference of tea plant cultivars.

Seasonal distribution and ecological risk of phthalate esters in surface water and marine organisms of the Bohai Sea

The spatiotemporal variability and ecological risks related to 16 phthalate esters (PAEs) were investigated in surface water and marine organisms of the Bohai Sea. The average PAE concentrations in the surface water were 8.02, 4.53, and 3.16 μg L−1 in spring, summer, and winter, respectively. Additionally, suspended particle matter was positive related to PAE content in seawater in spring and winter. The predominant PAEs in both water and biota were dimethyl phthalate (DMP), di-butyl phthalate (DBP), di-isobutyl phthalate (DIBP), and diethylhexyl-phthalate (DEHP). Because they do not exhibit long-distance migratory behavior, Chaeturichthys hexanema, Cynoglossus lighti, and Loligo japonica were good candidate indicator organisms for PAE pollution in Bohai Sea. The risk quotient method revealed that DIBP, DBP, and DEHP posed relatively greater risks to the aquatic system. This research establishes baseline data from which future management strategies to control PAEs in the Bohai Sea can be developed.

Phthalate ester migration into food: effect of packaging material and time

Rapid industrialization exposes human more organic and inorganic pollutants. Phthalate esters are one of these man-made chemicals which penetrate into our lives in many ways. Packed food plays a decisive role in the determination of exposure to phthalate esters. Seafood samples packed in polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), tin can, and glass containers were monitored for 4 months to determine the time-dependent migration of phthalate esters (DEHP, DBP, BBP, DINP, DIDP, and DNOP). DEHP was the most phthalate esters found in food samples. The highest DEHP value 830.30 ng/kg was recorded in pickled tunny bonito packed in PP on the 4th month. DEHP, DBP, and DINP were also recorded in PVC. The lowest determinations of phthalate esters were recorded in tin can. Unfortunately, all three packaging materials have an active role in the migration of phthalate esters into foodstuff. Migration increased with prolonged contact time with packaging material. Interestingly, the increased lipid content of foods packed in PP limited the migration of DEHP into food. High correlation between DEHP and extending contact time in PVC (0.998) and tin can containers (0.937) were recorded. No relationship was determined between pH level and phthalate ester content. DNOP and DIDP were not determined in any of the seafood samples. DEHP exposure in children recorded high levels in PP, followed by PVC and tin can. Although the legal limits have not been reached, other exposure factors and accumulation of these chemicals in the body should be considered.

New low viscous hydrophobic deep eutectic solvents in vortex-assisted liquid-liquid microextraction for the determination of phthalate esters from food-contacted plastics

In this work, a novel class of eight low viscosity hydrophobic deep eutectic solvents (DESs) has been designed and prepared from two kinds of quaternary ammonium salts and six kinds of water-insoluble fatty alcohols/acids. Several physical properties of these DESs, such as melting point, density and viscosity, have been determined to investigate their adaptability as solvents. Then, such DESs are used as extraction solvents in a vortex-assisted liquid-liquid microextraction for the extraction and preconcentration of phthalate esters (PEs) from water samples, and the content of PEs from food-contacted plastics is then determined by using gas chromatography. It is found that the analytic method developed in this work exhibits wide linear range of 5–1000 µg L−1, and the limit of detections for target analytes is as low as 1 µg L−1. Finally, the proposed method has been successfully used for the determination of PEs from food-contacted plastics.

Development of a screening method for phthalate esters in polymers using a quantitative database in combination with pyrolyzer/thermal desorption gas chromatography mass spectrometry

Seven phthalate esters (di-isobutyl phthalate (DIBP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP), benzylbutyl phthalate (BBP), di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), di-n-octyl phthalate (DNOP), di-isononyl phthalate (DINP) and di-isodecyl phthalate (DIDP)) were analyzed by pyrolyzer/thermal desorption-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py/TD-GC/MS), the retention index and relative response factor (RRF) relative to DEHP was calculated for each compound and used to construct a quantitative database (qDB). This qDB enables normalization of the retention time and response factor of each phthalate ester between any laboratory simply by analyzing an n-alkane solution and DEHP standard material. This allows for easy calculation of the phthalate ester content of samples without preparation of calibration curves. The efficacy of this qDB method was verified by performing a quantitative analysis of phthalate esters at 4 different laboratories that showed actual retention times were within ±0.012 min of the estimated retention times for all compounds at all laboratories. Similarly, the mean recovery rate (n = 6) at each laboratory was within 79–113%. Quantitative analysis was also performed on 30 real samples using both the qDB method and the Py/TD-GC/MS method set forth in IEC62321-8, which involves the preparation of 1-point calibrations to perform quantitative analysis. The difference in quantitative results between the methods was approximately within ±200 mg/kg for compounds in the concentration region of <2000 mg/kg.

Analysis of Phthalate Ester Content in Polyvinylchloride Construction Plastics by RAMAN Spectroscopy

There is serious concern that fat-soluble phthalates such as di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, or DEPH. Phthalates are not chemically bonded to the PVC and will with time escape by evaporation or by extraction when in contact with liquids. Raman spectroscopy excited with a 785 nm laser can be used to determine the content of plasticizers in commercial flexible polyvinyl chloride (PVC) construction plastics. This method is very convenient for rapid non-destructive remote determination of phthalates, such as for quality control of production lines, quality control or at customs.

Pollution Characteristics and Ecological Risk Assessment of Phthalate Esters (PAEs) in the Surface Water of Jiaozhou Bay

In order to better understand phthalate esters (PAEs) pollution in Jiaozhou Bay, surface water samples were collected for content analysis in August and November 2015 and January 2016. Fifteen kinds of PAEs were detected by stir bar sorptive extraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The content, composition, spatial distribution, seasonal variation, and ecological risk assessment of the PAEs in the surface waters were examined and analyzed. The results showed that:① The total concentrations of PAEs in the surface seawater in August and November 2015 and January 2016 were 3.63-21.20 μg·L-1, 2.24-12.60 μg·L-1, and 0.01-4.15 μg·L-1, respectively, and the average concentrations were 11.10 μg·L-1, 5.26 μg·L-1, and 0.80 μg·L-1, respectively. ② Influenced by runoff and ocean currents, the concentration of PAEs in the surface water of Jiaozhou Bay is higher near the shore and lower in the middle, and the total concentration of the east coast is higher than that of the west coast. Compared with surveys of other rivers and oceans, the PAEs content in the surface water of Jiaozhou Bay is moderate, but it is heavily polluted compared with other oceans. ③ Considering the rainfall and other factors, the distribution of PAEs in the three seasons followed the order summer > autumn > winter. The main PAEs detected were DBP, BBP, and DEHP. ④ The results of the ecological risk assessment showed that the risk quotient (RQ) of DBP at each station in Jiaozhou Bay was greater than 1; that is, the ecological risk was relatively large, while the risk of the other PAEs (RQ<1) was small. PAEs have become a potentially threatening organic pollutant in Jiaozhou Bay. Their behavior and the ecological hazards that they present to the environment still require further study.

Phthalate Esters’ Content in Soils of Moscow

The content and distribution pattern of phthalate esters in the top soil layers in Moscow have been determined. The total content of five of them (dimethyl phthalate, diethyl phthalate, diisobutyl phthalate, din-butyl phthalate, and di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate) in city soils is within the range of 4.39–397.00 mg/kg (the mean is 62.70 mg/kg and the median is 31.22 mg/kg) and is characterized by a lognormal distribution. The participation of these compounds in the total content of phthalates is 0.6, 0.7, 14.2, 57.9, and 26.6%, respectively. A significant positive correlation between the contents of the phthalate esters in soil has been revealed. The total amount of phthalates in soil was the highest in the reserve and residential areas and the lowest in the residential-transport and park-recreational zones.

Assessment of phthalate ester residues and distribution patterns in Baijiu raw materials and Baijiu

Phthalate esters (PAEs) are harmful to human health and have been repeatedly identified in Baijiu samples. In our study, the distribution and degradation characteristics of 14 PAEs in Baijiu raw materials (BRMs) and Baijiu during distillation were detected using QuEChERS or vortex-assisted surfactant-enhanced-emulsification liquid–liquid micro-extraction (VSLLME) methods coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The same five PAEs were detected in all tested samples, values ranged from 0.003 to 0.292 mg/kg; however, higher concentrations existed in BRMs compared to Baijiu samples. Using multivariate statistical analysis, detailed distinctions between different varieties of Baijiu and BRMs and separation-related PAE markers were revealed. PAEs concentration during Baijiu distillation showed a decreasing trend. The highest concentrations detected in distillate heads, were 1.6-, 2.3-, and 8.1-fold higher than those in heart1, heart2, and tail distillates, respectively. These findings revealed that PAEs may migrate from BRMs; moreover, that PAEs content can be regulated by distillation.

Contamination Levels and Ecological Risk Assessment of Phthalate Esters (PAEs) in the Aquatic Environment of Key Areas of Taihu Lake

To better understand phthalate esters (PAEs) pollution in key areas of Taihu Lake, water and sediment samples were collected for content analysis. The concentrations of ∑PAEs in water samples from wet, dry, and normal seasons ranged 1.6-11.2 μg·L-1 (mean:3.68 μg·L-1), nd-6.21 μg·L-1 (mean:1.3 μg·L-1), and nd-1.72 μg·L-1 (mean:0.48 μg·L-1), respectively. No differences were found between upstream and downstream samples. DEHP was the predominant component in water samples, whereas DBP exceeded the national surface water environmental quality standards. The total PAE concentration in the sediment ranged between 0.74 and 6.90 μg·g-1 (mean:2.64 μg·g-1), with DBP and DEHP the predominant PAEs. The risk quotient (RQ) results showed that DBP and DEHP contributed the most potentially adverse effects to the aquatic environment in the key areas. The contents of PAEs in sediment were all less than the ERLs, thus posing no significant threat to aquatic organisms. The overall level of PAEs in the study area was moderate compared to those in other areas, including rivers, lakes, and estuaries from cities worldwide. Industrial pollution and urban activities are the major sources of PAEs in the aquatic environment of key areas of Taihu Lake.