Contamination of Italian citrus essential oils: presence of phthalate esters.
Contamination by phthalate esters of Sicilian and Calabrian citrus essential oils, produced in the crop years 1994-1996, was investigated using a GC-MS system with direct injection of the samples. A total of 35 lemon oils, 31 orange oils, and 21 mandarin oils were analyzed. Diisobutyl phthalate and/or bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate were found in almost all samples, while di-n-butyl phthalate was present in 8. Concentrations up to a maximum of 62 ppm were found for diisobutyl phthalate and up to a maximum of 29.9 ppm for bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate.
Di Bella
G
G
Dipartimento Chimica Organica e Biologica, Università di Messina, Salita Sperone 31, 98166 Messina, Italy.
Saitta
M
M
Pellegrino
M
M
Salvo
F
F
Dugo
G
G
D002849:Chromatography, Gas / Q000379:methods; D002957:Citrus / Q000737:chemistry*; D004952:Esters / Q000032:analysis; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D007558:Italy; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000737:chemistry*; D010795:Phthalic Acids / Q000032:analysis*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
D004952:Esters; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D010795:Phthalic Acids