Migration of di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate from the plastic film into the air and vegetables in the greenhouses

The aim of this study was to investigate di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) from plastic film of the greenhouse to the air and the vegetables grown in the greenhouse. This paper presents the migration of di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) by determining the di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) concentration in air and vegetables in greenhouses with the change of temperature in a day and a half year. The determination of di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) content in the air and the vegetables was performed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The results showed that di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) content in the greenhouse air increased with increasing temperature during one day, but di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) content changes in vegetable were different from those in air, and which depends on the exposure time. For the monthly content changes, di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) content in air first increased to a maximum and then decreased with increasing time and temperature. The di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) content changes of six vegetables not only were related with di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) content in air and temperature, but also with varieties of vegetables.