EFFECT OF DE IONIZED WATER IN LEACHING BISPHENOLA

This study explores how Bisphenol A (BPA) and different phthalates leach from unused plastic bottles when kept at a steady temperature of 40 °C in deionized water. The use of deionized water which is free from salts, ions, and organic matter, provided a clean, neutral environment that allowed a clear view of how these chemicals naturally migrate from plastics into water. Over a 96-hour period, BPA concentrations were measured using Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS), with recorded values of 2.92, 2.40, 2.42, 2.74, and 2.96 µg/L at 0, 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours, respectively. The initially high BPA value was likely due to surface residues being quickly released into the water, while the slight drops at 24 and 48 hours suggest a brief stabilization or re-adsorption on the bottle surface. The subsequent rise at 72 and 96 hours indicates that BPA continued to diffuse from inside the plastic into the surrounding water which is a process encouraged by the constant heat. Phthalates such as diethyl phthalate (DEP) and dibutyl phthalate (DBP) showed similar patterns, with their concentrations gradually increasing over time, confirming that additive migration is a slow but continuous process. Although the highest BPA concentration measured (2.96 µg/L) is far below the U.S. FDA’s safety threshold of 5mg/kg body weight per day, it is well above the extremely strict European Food Safety Authority (EFSA, 2023) limit of 0.2 ng/kg body weight per day. This finding suggests that even new, unused plastics can release trace amounts of potentially harmful chemicals when exposed to warm or storage conditions for extended periods. Overall, the study emphasizes the importance of monitoring plastic safety and highlights how everyday temperature exposure can influence the release of chemical additives into water, with potential implications for both health and the environment