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Occurrence, soil–plant transfer and health risks of phthalate esters in chili peppers cultivation systems in Southwest China
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Researchers in Chongqing, China, measured chemicals called phthalate esters, found in plastics, in soil and chili pepper plants from farming sites. Three chemicals (DBP, DIBP, DEHP) were most common, moving from roots into stems, leaves and fruit, though estimated exposure from eating the peppers stayed within acceptable limits.
As endocrine-disrupting chemicals, plasticizers have become an increasing concern in agricultural environments and food systems due to their widespread use and environmental persistence. Due to their persistence in the environment and migration capacity, plasticizers can be absorbed and accumulated by plants, and may pose health risks to humans through the food chain. This study investigated the pollution characteristics of 16 priority phthalate esters (PAEs) in peppers from pepper planting bases in Chongqing. The occurrence of PAEs in soils and different pepper tissues was characterized, and their enrichment, translocation behavior, and associated human health risks were evaluated. The results revealed that DBP, DIBP, and DEHP were the predominant PAE congeners detected in both soil and pepper samples. The accumulation pattern of PAEs in roots, stems, leaves and fruits followed the order of DBP > DIBP > DEHP. According to the enrichment and translocation coefficients, the roots and above-ground parts of peppers had the strongest enrichment capacity for DBP, and DBP, DIBP and DEHP were all easy to migrate from roots to above-ground parts. Although the estimated dietary exposure risks of PAEs through chili pepper consumption were within acceptable levels in the investigated cultivation systems, the widespread application of agricultural plastics and their potential contribution to long-term PAE accumulation highlight the importance of continuous monitoring and sustainable plastic management strategies. This study highlights the combined influence of soil contamination and atmospheric deposition on PAE accumulation in fruit vegetables, hence providing scientific evidence to support environmental risk assessment and management of chili pepper cultivation in plastic-intensive agriculture systems.
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Researchers investigated phthalate ester contamination across 37 sites in coastal South China, finding widespread contamination in both soil and plants with concentrations posing potential health risks, particularly from the plasticizers DEHP and DBP.
Residues, influencing factors, and health risk assessment of phthalate esters (PAEs) in major crops from a tropical island in China
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Scientists tested crops grown on Hainan Island in China and found traces of phthalates—chemicals used to make plastics soft and flexible—in grains, fruits, and vegetables, with root vegetables like potatoes and carrots absorbing the most. The good news: even though these chemicals are linked to hormone disruption and cancer risk, the amounts found were low enough that eating these crops isn't expected to pose a meaningful health danger. The findings also suggest that microplastics in soil may help phthalates build up in food crops, highlighting the importance of reducing plastic pollution in farmland.
Distribution and Risk Assessment of Organophosphate Esters in Agricultural Soils and Plants in the Coastal Areas of South China
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This study measured organophosphate esters, chemicals used as flame retardants and plasticizers in plastic products, in agricultural soils and crops along China's southern coast. These chemicals were found in every soil and plant sample tested, with some areas showing high ecological risk levels. While focused on chemical additives rather than microplastics directly, these are the same toxic compounds that leach from microplastics, showing how plastic-related chemicals contaminate the food supply.
Occurrence and health risk assessment of phthalate ester pollution in mulched farmland soil at a national scale, China
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Researchers analyzed farmland soils across 29 Chinese provinces and found widespread phthalate ester contamination linked to plastic mulching films, with di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate posing carcinogenic risks exceeding safety thresholds in over 11% of samples, pointing to inadequate current regulations on agricultural plastic use.
Phthalate ester levels in agricultural soils of greenhouses, their potential sources, the role of plastic cover material, and dietary exposure calculated from modeled concentrations in tomato
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Researchers measured phthalate plasticizer concentrations in soils across 50 greenhouses and modeled dietary exposure through tomatoes, finding that plastic cover materials and irrigation pipes are the dominant sources of soil phthalate contamination and that DEHP in greenhouse-grown tomatoes poses a measurable carcinogenic risk.
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