Concentrations of several phthalates contaminants in Egyptian bottled water: Effects of storage conditions and estimate of human exposure

Highlights: • First time measurements of phthalates in Egyptian bottled water • DEHP and DBP detected in 50 and 58% of samples respectively 2 weeks after production • Positive correlation obtained between storage time and phthalate concentrations. • Estimated intake of DEHP and DBP from bottled water were far below their TDI values. The occurrence and concentrations of six common phthalates were investigated for the first time in bottled water locally produced in the Egyptian market. The compounds investigated were dimethyl phthalate (DMP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), n-butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP), diethyl hexyl phthalate (DEHP), and Di-n-octyl phthalate (D-n-OP). A set of 108 bottled water samples from six different commercial brands of water bottled in transparent polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic bottles with high density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic caps were investigated. Water samples were analyzed immediately after purchasing (~ 2 weeks after production), after being stored at room temperature (25 ± 5 °C), in a refrigerator (4 ± 1 °C) and outdoor under sun exposure (daylight temperature of 40 ± 5 °C). Samples were stored up to six months depending on the tested condition. Among the target compounds, only DEHP and DBP were detected in the samples analyzed immediately after purchasing with a detection frequency of 50 and 58% and mean concentrations of 0.104 and 0.082 μg l^{− 1} respectively. Significant positive correlation was obtained between the storage time, temperature and the concentration of phthalate compounds detected in the bottled water, indicating possible migration from the PET plastic material as the source. The estimated contribution of bottled water consumption to the tolerable daily intake (TDI) levels of the two most abundant phthalates observed here for adults and toddlers did not exceed 0.16 and 0.72% for DBP while these values were 0.04 and 0.16% for DEHP respectively. These estimated daily intake values from PET bottled water consumption were far below their respective TDI values and therefore should constitute no adverse health effects.