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Isolation of Two Plasticizers, Bis(2‐ethylhexyl) Terephthalate and Bis(2‐ethylhexyl) Phthalate, from Capparis spinosa L. Leaves
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Researchers isolated two plasticizers—bis(2-ethylhexyl) terephthalate (DEHT) and bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP)—from the leaves of Capparis spinosa (caper bush), a plant widely used in food and traditional medicine, at concentrations of 297 mg/kg and 48 mg/kg respectively. This first-time detection highlights the concerning accumulation of endocrine-disrupting plasticizers in commonly consumed food plants through environmental contamination.
Many plants have been known to be contaminated and accumulate plasticizers from the environment, including water sources, soil, and atmosphere. Plasticizers are used to confer elasticity and flexibility to various fiber and plastic products. Consumption of plasticizers can lead to many adverse effects on human health, including reproductive and developmental toxicity, endocrine disruption, and cancer. Herein, we report for the first time that two plasticizers, bis(2-ethylhexyl) terephthalate (DEHT) and bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), have been isolated from the leaves of Capparis spinosa L. (the caper bush), a plant that is widely used in food seasonings and traditional medicine. 297 mg/kg of DEHT and 48 mg/kg of DEHP were isolated from dried and grounded C. spinosa L. leaves using column chromatography and semi-preparative high-performance liquid chromatography. Our study adds to the increase in the detection of plasticizers in our food and medicinal plants and to the alarming concern about their potential adverse effects on human health.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.