Mineral bottled water packed in three polymers viz., virgin polyethylene terephthalate (PET), recycled PET, and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) were investigated for the occurrence, migration, and health risk of phthalic acid esters (PAEs) at 25 °C, 35 °C, and 45 °C. The average concentration of six USEPA priority PAEs in refrigerated water samples was highest in recycled PET> LDPE > virgin PET. The highest leaching was seen at 45 °C after 2 days for LDPE water packets with ∑6PAEs amounting to 64,300 ng/L. Similarly, for recycled PET, the highest migration was seen at 45 °C after seven days (3,800 µg/L). Bis 2-ethyl hexyl phthalate (DEHP) and di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP) were the predominant plasticizers from PET bottles and LDPE water packets, respectively. Predicted concentration after three weeks based on best fit obtained through the polynomial model for PET bottles was seen higher than the recommended limit suggested by USEPA (6 µg/L) and WHO (8 µg/L).

Department of Civil Engineering SRM Institute of Science and Technology Kancheepuram district 603203 Chennai Tamil Nadu India

Environmental Science and Technology Laboratory Department of Chemical Engineering SRM Institute of Science and Technology Kancheepuram district 603203 Chennai Tamil Nadu India

Food Chemistry Division ICMR National Institute of Nutrition Jamai Osmania PO 500 007 Hyderabad TS India

Mu Gamma Consultants Pvt Ltd Gurgaon India

Norwegian Institute for Water Research Gaustadalléen 21 0349 Oslo Norway

Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment Kamenice 753 5 625 00 Brno Czech Republic

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