bottled water, even purified water. For example, the total concentration of the six
phthalates, including dimethyl phthalate, diethyl phthalate, benzyl butyl phthalate,
dioctyl phthalate, di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, and dinbutyl phthalate, in lake water of
Taihu, China was found to be 0.740–13.0 μg/L (Gao et al. 2019). In more than
300 brands of bottled water samples collected from 21 countries, the detected
frequencies of the five phthalates were 67.6% for dinbutyl phthalate, 61.7% for di
(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, 47.1% for diethyl phthalate, 36.9% for benzyl butyl
phthalate, and 30.1% for dimethyl phthalate. The phthalate concentrations from
the top five countries were 61.1, 8.8, 6.3, 6.2, and 6.1 μg/L (Luo et al. 2018). The
total concentrations of 14 phthalates in the seawater of seamount area in the tropical
western Pacific Ocean were found to be from 12.13 ng/ L to 60.69 ng/ L with an
average concentration of 28.86 ng/ L, dominated by dinbutyl phthalate, di
(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, and diisobutyl phthalate (Zhang et al. 2019). Dinbutyl
phthalate and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate were detected in greywater from French
households with the concentrations of 9.64 μg/L and 6.21 μg/L, respectively
(Deshayes et al. 2017). Phthalates have also been detected in rainwater in China,
with di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate and dinbutyl phthalate both at levels of over 1 μg/L
(Zhu et al. 2004). Dimethyl phthalate, dinbutyl phthalate, dioctyl phthalate, and di
(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate were detected in river water and lake water in Anshan,
China with the concentrations of 0.0446–18.186 mg/L (Yao et al. 2011), which were
much higher than other reports. Dargnat et al. (2009) detected six phthalates,
including dimethyl phthalate, diethyl phthalate, dinbutyl phthalate, benzyl butyl
phthalate, di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, and dioctyl phthalate in the densely populated
estuary of the Seine in France. The detection rates of dimethyl phthalate, diethyl
phthalate, dinbutyl phthalate, and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate were 100%, and the
highest concentration range of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate was 160–314 ng/L. Yuan
et al. (2002) detected eight phthalates in surface water and river sediment in Taiwan,
China, and the contents of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate and dinbutyl phthalate were the
highest in all samples. The distribution of 14 phthalates in the water and sediment of
Eshan lake in South Korea has been studied. The total concentration of phthalates in
the water body was less than 2.29 μg/L, with the highest concentration of di
(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, followed by dinbutyl phthalate (Lee et al. 2019).
Phthalates were extensively detected globally, and their potential risk to human
health has aroused widespread concern all over the world. The United States
Environmental Protection Agency has identified six congeners, including dimethyl
phthalate, diethyl phthalate, dinbutyl phthalate, di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, dioctyl
phthalate, and benzyl butyl phthalate, as priority pollutants (Gao et al. 2018) and has
set an enforceable regulation for di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate in drinking water, a
maximum contaminant level at 6 μg/L. (https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-anddrinking-water/national-primary-drinking-water-regulations). China has listed
diethyl phthalate, dioctyl phthalate, and dimethyl phthalate as priority control
pollutants and set the limit of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate in drinking water at 8 μg/
L (Ministry of Health2006). The limits of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate in drinking
water set by Australia, Japan, and New Zealand are 9, 100, and 10 μg/L, respectively. The European Union proposed a guideline of 1.3 μg/L for di(2-ethylhexyl)
phthalate in fresh and marine waters (Net et al. 2015).
546
C. Sun et al.
phthalates, including dimethyl phthalate, diethyl phthalate, benzyl butyl phthalate,
dioctyl phthalate, di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, and dinbutyl phthalate, in lake water of
Taihu, China was found to be 0.740–13.0 μg/L (Gao et al. 2019). In more than
300 brands of bottled water samples collected from 21 countries, the detected
frequencies of the five phthalates were 67.6% for dinbutyl phthalate, 61.7% for di
(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, 47.1% for diethyl phthalate, 36.9% for benzyl butyl
phthalate, and 30.1% for dimethyl phthalate. The phthalate concentrations from
the top five countries were 61.1, 8.8, 6.3, 6.2, and 6.1 μg/L (Luo et al. 2018). The
total concentrations of 14 phthalates in the seawater of seamount area in the tropical
western Pacific Ocean were found to be from 12.13 ng/ L to 60.69 ng/ L with an
average concentration of 28.86 ng/ L, dominated by dinbutyl phthalate, di
(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, and diisobutyl phthalate (Zhang et al. 2019). Dinbutyl
phthalate and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate were detected in greywater from French
households with the concentrations of 9.64 μg/L and 6.21 μg/L, respectively
(Deshayes et al. 2017). Phthalates have also been detected in rainwater in China,
with di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate and dinbutyl phthalate both at levels of over 1 μg/L
(Zhu et al. 2004). Dimethyl phthalate, dinbutyl phthalate, dioctyl phthalate, and di
(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate were detected in river water and lake water in Anshan,
China with the concentrations of 0.0446–18.186 mg/L (Yao et al. 2011), which were
much higher than other reports. Dargnat et al. (2009) detected six phthalates,
including dimethyl phthalate, diethyl phthalate, dinbutyl phthalate, benzyl butyl
phthalate, di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, and dioctyl phthalate in the densely populated
estuary of the Seine in France. The detection rates of dimethyl phthalate, diethyl
phthalate, dinbutyl phthalate, and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate were 100%, and the
highest concentration range of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate was 160–314 ng/L. Yuan
et al. (2002) detected eight phthalates in surface water and river sediment in Taiwan,
China, and the contents of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate and dinbutyl phthalate were the
highest in all samples. The distribution of 14 phthalates in the water and sediment of
Eshan lake in South Korea has been studied. The total concentration of phthalates in
the water body was less than 2.29 μg/L, with the highest concentration of di
(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, followed by dinbutyl phthalate (Lee et al. 2019).
Phthalates were extensively detected globally, and their potential risk to human
health has aroused widespread concern all over the world. The United States
Environmental Protection Agency has identified six congeners, including dimethyl
phthalate, diethyl phthalate, dinbutyl phthalate, di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, dioctyl
phthalate, and benzyl butyl phthalate, as priority pollutants (Gao et al. 2018) and has
set an enforceable regulation for di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate in drinking water, a
maximum contaminant level at 6 μg/L. (https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-anddrinking-water/national-primary-drinking-water-regulations). China has listed
diethyl phthalate, dioctyl phthalate, and dimethyl phthalate as priority control
pollutants and set the limit of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate in drinking water at 8 μg/
L (Ministry of Health2006). The limits of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate in drinking
water set by Australia, Japan, and New Zealand are 9, 100, and 10 μg/L, respectively. The European Union proposed a guideline of 1.3 μg/L for di(2-ethylhexyl)
phthalate in fresh and marine waters (Net et al. 2015).
546
C. Sun et al.