Characteristics and Health Risks of Phthalate Ester Contamination in Soil and Plants in Coastal Areas of South China

Huanhuan Xing, Xiaolong Yu, Jiahui Huang, Xiaodong Du, Mengting Wang, Jianteng Sun, Guining Lu and Xueqin Tao
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Huanhuan Xing: Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education on Pollution Control and Ecosystem Restoration in Industry Clusters, Guangdong Provincial Engineering and Technology Research Center for Environmental Risk Prevention and Emergency Disposal, School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
Xiaolong Yu: Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Petrochemical Pollution Processes and Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangdong University of Petrochemical Technology, Maoming 525000, China
Jiahui Huang: Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Petrochemical Pollution Processes and Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangdong University of Petrochemical Technology, Maoming 525000, China
Xiaodong Du: Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education on Pollution Control and Ecosystem Restoration in Industry Clusters, Guangdong Provincial Engineering and Technology Research Center for Environmental Risk Prevention and Emergency Disposal, School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
Mengting Wang: Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education on Pollution Control and Ecosystem Restoration in Industry Clusters, Guangdong Provincial Engineering and Technology Research Center for Environmental Risk Prevention and Emergency Disposal, School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
Jianteng Sun: Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education on Pollution Control and Ecosystem Restoration in Industry Clusters, Guangdong Provincial Engineering and Technology Research Center for Environmental Risk Prevention and Emergency Disposal, School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
Guining Lu: Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education on Pollution Control and Ecosystem Restoration in Industry Clusters, Guangdong Provincial Engineering and Technology Research Center for Environmental Risk Prevention and Emergency Disposal, School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
Xueqin Tao: College of Resources and Environment, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou 510225, China

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 15, 1-20

Abstract: Phthalate esters (PAEs) are widely used as plasticizers in industrial and commercial products, and are classified as endocrine-disrupting compounds. In this study, we investigated the contamination characteristics and health risks of PAEs in the soil–plant system in coastal areas of South China. PAEs were detected in soil and plant samples at all 37 sampling sites. The total concentration of the 15 PAEs in soil samples ranged from 0.445 to 4.437 mg/kg, and the mean concentration was 1.582 ± 0.937 mg/kg. The total concentration of the 15 PAEs in plant samples ranged from 2.176 to 30.276 mg/kg, and the mean concentration was 8.712 ± 5.840 mg/kg. Di(2-Ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP) were the major PAEs compounds in all samples. The selected contaminants exhibited completely different spatial distributions within the study area. Notably, higher concentrations of PAEs were found in the coastal Guangdong Province of South China. The average noncarcinogenic risks of Σ6 PAEs were at acceptable levels via dietary and nondietary routes. However, the noncarcinogenic risks posed by DEHP and DBP at some sampling sites were relatively high. Furthermore, dietary and nondietary carcinogenic risks were very low for BBP, but carcinogenic risks posed by DEHP via diet. The results suggest that PAEs in the coastal soil–plant system in South China, through human risk assessment, will induce some adverse effects on human health, especially in children. This study provides an important basis for risk management of PAEs in agriculture, and safety in coastal areas of South China.

Keywords: bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate; di-n-butyl phthalate; noncarcinogenic risk; carcinogenic risk; agriculture soil; leafy vegetables (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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