Health risk and source assessment of semi-volatile phenols, p-chloroaniline and plasticizers in plastic packaged (sachet) drinking water

Joseph Kweku Adjei; Albert Ofori; Harry Kwaku Megbenu; Thomas Ahenguah; Alex Kissi Boateng; George Alimoh Adjei; John Kwesi Bentum; David Kofi Essumang

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149008

Health risk and source assessment of semi-volatile phenols, p-chloroaniline and plasticizers in plastic packaged (sachet) drinking water

Sci Total Environ. 2021 Nov 25:797:149008. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149008. Epub 2021 Jul 16.

Authors

Joseph Kweku Adjei¹, Albert Ofori², Harry Kwaku Megbenu², Thomas Ahenguah³, Alex Kissi Boateng⁴, George Alimoh Adjei², John Kwesi Bentum⁵, David Kofi Essumang²

Affiliations

¹ The Environmental Research Group, Department of Chemistry, University of Cape Coast, Ghana. Electronic address: joseph.adjei@ucc.edu.gh.
² The Environmental Research Group, Department of Chemistry, University of Cape Coast, Ghana.
³ OneSource Laboratory Services, South San Francisco, CA, United States.
⁴ School of Physical Sciences Instrumental Analysis Laboratory, Department of Laboratory Technology, University of Cape Coast, Ghana.
⁵ The Environmental Research Group, Department of Chemistry, University of Cape Coast, Ghana; School of Physical Sciences Instrumental Analysis Laboratory, Department of Laboratory Technology, University of Cape Coast, Ghana.

PMID: 34303974
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149008

Abstract

The presence of U.S. EPA priority organic contaminants in drinking water poses a dire health risk on consumers. Packaged drinking water such as plastic sachet drinking water has significantly gained market in both developed and developing countries, especially, its dominance in the Ghanaian market. The treatment process, packaging, and storage of the sachet drinking water contribute to the levels of genotoxic semi-volatile phenols, p-chloroaniline, and plasticizers contamination in the drinking water. The study thus sought to investigate the levels of semi-volatile phenols, p-chloroaniline, and plasticizer contaminants in sachet drinking water on the Ghanaian market and the associated health risk of exposure. The study also investigated the possible sources of the contaminants. A total of thirty (30) different brands of sachet water on the Ghanaian market were studied. The samples were extracted in replicates (n = 3) using Solid Phase Extraction (SPE) cartridges and further analysed with GC-MS (SIM mode). The source apportionment was conducted using absolute principal component analysis coupled with multiple, linear regression (APCA-MLR) and automatic linear regression (APCA-MALR) modelling. The mean total levels for the phenols, p-chloroaniline, and plasticizers were between 210.2 and 18,914.9, 11.2 and 18,871.0, and 21.2 and 69,834.1 ng/L respectively. The cumulative non-cancer risk (hazard quotient) and cancer risk upon exposure were computed to range between 2.1 × 10^-3 and 1.2 and 1.5 × 10^-7 and 1.3 × 10^-4 respectively. About 37% of the samples had elevated cancer risk (>10^-6) which may contribute to the existing incidence, cause for concern. The five sources found for the contaminants were apportioned as "environmental background (major)", "water treatment/disinfectant", "plastic/plasticizers", "storage and preservation", and "residual inter-conversion/degradation sources".

Keywords: APCA-MLR; Cancer risk assessment; Drinking water; Hazard quotients; Phthalates; Source apportionment.

MeSH terms

Aniline Compounds
Drinking Water*
Ghana
Phenols / analysis
Plasticizers / analysis
Plastics
Water Pollutants, Chemical* / analysis

Substances

Aniline Compounds
Drinking Water
Phenols
Plasticizers
Plastics
Water Pollutants, Chemical
4-chloroaniline