Assessment of health risk caused by phthalates penetrating a body with milk in polymer and polymer-containing package

Abstract

Since the middle of the 20th century phthalates have been widely used in food products package manufacturing. But here phthalates turned out to migrate from this package into the environment. There are some data on unfavorable impacts exerted by orally introduced phthalates on the liver and hormonal system. Milk packed in polymer package which contains various plasticizers including phthalates is widely spread on the Russian consumer market. It determined our research goal which was to assess consumers health risks related to impacts exerted by phthalates introduced with milk packed in polymer package. We selected 25 milk samples out of milk products bought in retail networks. Phthalates were quantitatively determined in milk via highly efficient liquid chromatography. We performed a distribution questioning to assess quantity and volumes in which milk was consumed and to determine a share of milk packed in polymer package. We detected that 57% adult respondents, 75% children aged 4-6, and 80% children aged 7-17 consumed milk packed in polyethylene film and (or) in plastic bottles. 5 phthalate forms were identified in consumed milk. Adults actually consumed 0.6 liter of milk per day; children aged 4-6, 0.2 liter; children aged 7-17, 0.3 liter. Phthalates dose introduced daily with milk was equal to 5.6110-2 mg/kg of body weight for children aged 4-6; 6.3210-2 mg/kg of body weight for children aged 7-17; 4.20*10-2 mg/kg of body weight for adults. We calculated a lifelong risk and revealed that it occurred due to di-2-ethylexylphthalate when milk packed in polyethylene film and plastic bottles was consumed. Risk-characterizing hazard indexes reached 1.85 for the liver and endocrine system regardless of package.

Keywords

• phthalates
• milk
• plasticizers
• polymer package
• package
• dose
• exposure
• risk assessment
• questioning