Reliable quantification of phthalates in environmental matrices (air, water, sludge, sediment and soil): A review

Abstract

Because of their widespread application, phthalates or phthalic acid esters (PAEs) are ubiquitous in the environment. Their presence has attracted considerable attention due to their potential impacts on ecosystem functioning and on public health, so their quantification has become a necessity. Various extraction procedures as well as gas/liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry detection techniques are found as suitable for reliable detection of such compounds. However, PAEs are ubiquitous in the laboratory environment including ambient air, reagents, sampling equipment, and various analytical devices, that induces difficult analysis of real samples with a low PAE background. Therefore, accurate PAE analysis in environmental matrices is a challenging task. This paper reviews the extensive literature data on the techniques for PAE quantification in natural media. Sampling, sample extraction/pretreatment and detection for quantifying PAEs in different environmental matrices (air, water, sludge, sediment and soil) have been reviewed and compared. The concept of "green analytical chemistry" for PAE determination is also discussed. Moreover useful information about the material preparation and the procedures of quality control and quality assurance are presented to overcome the problem of sample contamination and these encountered due to matrix effects in order to avoid overestimating PAE concentrations in the environment.

Occurrence, Fate, Behavior and Ecotoxicological State of Phthalates in Different Environmental Matrices

“…However, if they are present at significant levels, they must be eliminated or subtracted from the sample measurement. 29 II.1. Air.…”

Retention of Atmospheric Particles by Local Plant Leaves in the Mount Wutai Scenic Area, China

“…However, the content of phthalic acid esters (PAEs) in superficial rhizosphere soil was positively correlated with their content in pine needles, wherein the PAEs under Pinaceae plants accumulated by gravitational settling of particles and the adsorbed particulate pollutants in pine needles [29]. Because of the frequent incense-burning religious activities in the core area of Mount Wutai, there is also much burning of the plastic oblations and their plastic packages, and PAEs are widely applied in these plastic products [30]. After they are burned and released into the atmosphere, the enrichment of pollutants in the trees and rhizosphere soil is easily caused by the long-term adsorption by pine needles, which raises the pollutant concentration in certain regions, and not only harms the plants themselves but also affects the surrounding soil environment.…”

Inhibitory effects of fifteen phthalate esters in human cDNA-expressed UDP-glucuronosyltransferase supersomes

“…Phthalate esters (PAEs), composed of an rigid aromatic nucleus and two side chain esters of various lengths, have been extensively used in industry as precursors for the synthesis building materials, automobile parts, electronic products, cosmetics and medical devices, notably as plasticizers to reinforce the flexibility and stretchability of plastics (Huang et al, 2012; Net et al, 2015). Because of the hydrogen bond and van der waals force (VDW) rather than covalent bonding between PAEs and plastics, PAEs can slowly leach from plastics over time to contaminate air, soil, water and food, which can result in the exposure of humans through skin, respiratory tract, digestive tract and medical injection (Wittassek et al, 2007; Bergé et al, 2013).…”