The effects of ultraviolet (UV) irradiation on the degradation of Irgafos 168 and the migration of its two degradation products, 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol and tris(2,4-di-tert-butylphenyl)phosphate, from polypropylene (PP) were investigated. A blown film machine was used to extrude PP films containing Irgafos 168, the films were stored in the dark for 45 days, two UV treatments and sunlight exposure were applied to the films, and GC-MS was used for degradation and migration studies. Extrusion, storage, UV treatments, and sunlight exposure significantly affected concentrations of Irgafos 168 and the degradation products. 2,4-Di-tert-butylphenol was the major degradation product produced by UV irradiation, but tris(2,4-di-tert-butylphenyl)phosphate was the major degradation product produced by extrusion, storage, and sunlight exposure. The degradation products have no or little health risk, because migration study and threshold of toxicological concern (TTC) analysis show that experimental maximum migration of 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol and tris(2,4-di-tert-butylphenyl)phosphate are only 2 and 53% of the theoretical maximum migration amounts, respectively.
Keywords: Irgafos 168; UV irradiation; degradation; migration; threshold of toxicological concern.