Levels of Phthalate Acid Esters in Drinking Water Bottled in PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) and PC (Polycarbonates) Bottles - stored under Different Storage Conditions in Mwanza City, Tanzania

Bottled drinking water is widely advertised and sold in glass or, to a greater extent, plastic bottles with metallic or plastic caps, and is regularly drank by both children and adults. Mwanza City markets have many brands of bottled drinking water packed in PET and PC plastic bottles whose polymers may contain additives such as phthalates. Certain cancer types, hormone imbalances, and developmental delays have all been connected to these phthalates, which are harmful to human health. This study investigated, the effects of storage conditions, time spent in storage, and type of container polymer on the leaching of phthalates from packaging materials into particular brands of locally produced PC and PET bottled drinking water that are regularly consumed by adults and children and sold in Mwanza City markets. The method of determination was liquid-liquid extraction followed by chromatographic analysis for identification of the specific phthalates compounds.

The results that the lowest mean Di methyl phthalates (DMP) concentration in water packed in PET bottles was 0.085 µg/mL before storage and that the mean DMP concentration increased to 0.235 µg/mL following six months of storage at room temperature and outdoor temperature. Additionally, the 18.9-liter PET bottle migrated higher than the 1.5-liter PET bottle due to its larger surface area for water contact and higher surface-to-volume ratio; however, it was found that production contamination, not migration, was the cause of the higher Di methyl phthalates concentrations in the PC bottles. These findings suggest that storing PET bottles containing drinking water at room and outdoor temperatures for an extended period of time directly impacts phthalate migration. Furthermore, this study shows reusing plastic water bottles raises the risk that the inner surface will deteriorate and release more phthalates, which raises concerns about the safety of drinking water that has been prepared and stored in a plastic bottle.