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Phthalates in cow milk: possible contamination pathways at farm level

Author
Organization
Abstract
Phthalates are organic lipophilic compounds which are mainly used as plasticizer to increase the flexibility of plastic polymers. Human exposure occurs mainly via food ingestion and can cause a wide range of negative health effects (e.g. disruption of the endocrine system). Phthalates are not only present in food because of environmental contamination, but also as a result of migration from packaging and contact materials (e.g. conveyor belts). This study investigates the phthalate contamination in cow milk at farm level. The levels of eight phthalates (DMP, DEP, DiBP, DBP, BBP, DEHP, DCHP and DNOP) were determined in raw milk samples collected from five farms in an area around the city of Mol in ‘The Kempen’ in Flanders (Belgium). Both manually obtained milk samples as milk samples obtained by milking machines were collected. Analysis was performed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with electron impact ionisation. The phthalate concentrations in the raw milk samples were compared with each other in order to determine the contamination pathways for cow milk at farm level. The analysis of the milk samples milked by machine revealed a difference in total phthalate level between the different farms, ranging from 90.6 to 1065.1 µg/kg fat (results of the summer sampling period). While comparing milk samples from the same farm, lower total phthalate levels were found in the milk samples milked by hand than those by machine (e.g. 90.2 versus 174.4 µg/kg fat). DEHP which is the most commonly used plasticizer worldwide, was the most dominating phthalate in all the milk samples. This study seems to indicate that phthalate contamination in raw milk strongly depends on the type of milking equipment (e.g. the use of plastic milking tubes) the farms are using and to a smaller degree results from an environmental transfer.
Keywords
Milk, Phthalate, Dairy products, Migration, Plasticizer

Citation

Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:

MLA
Fierens, Tine, et al. “Phthalates in Cow Milk: Possible Contamination Pathways at Farm Level.” Abstract Book of the 2nd Young Environmental Scientists Meeting, SETAC Europe. Students Advisory Council (SAC), 2011, pp. 98–98, doi:10.1186/2190-4715-23-29.
APA
Fierens, T., Van Holderbeke, M., Willems, H., Sioen, I., & De Henauw, S. (2011). Phthalates in cow milk: possible contamination pathways at farm level. Abstract Book of the 2nd Young Environmental Scientists Meeting, 98–98. https://doi.org/10.1186/2190-4715-23-29
Chicago author-date
Fierens, Tine, Mirja Van Holderbeke, Hanny Willems, Isabelle Sioen, and Stefaan De Henauw. 2011. “Phthalates in Cow Milk: Possible Contamination Pathways at Farm Level.” In Abstract Book of the 2nd Young Environmental Scientists Meeting, 98–98. SETAC Europe. Students Advisory Council (SAC). https://doi.org/10.1186/2190-4715-23-29.
Chicago author-date (all authors)
Fierens, Tine, Mirja Van Holderbeke, Hanny Willems, Isabelle Sioen, and Stefaan De Henauw. 2011. “Phthalates in Cow Milk: Possible Contamination Pathways at Farm Level.” In Abstract Book of the 2nd Young Environmental Scientists Meeting, 98–98. SETAC Europe. Students Advisory Council (SAC). doi:10.1186/2190-4715-23-29.
Vancouver
1.
Fierens T, Van Holderbeke M, Willems H, Sioen I, De Henauw S. Phthalates in cow milk: possible contamination pathways at farm level. In: Abstract book of the 2nd Young Environmental Scientists meeting. SETAC Europe. Students Advisory Council (SAC); 2011. p. 98–98.
IEEE
[1]
T. Fierens, M. Van Holderbeke, H. Willems, I. Sioen, and S. De Henauw, “Phthalates in cow milk: possible contamination pathways at farm level,” in Abstract book of the 2nd Young Environmental Scientists meeting, Aachen, Germany, 2011, pp. 98–98.
@inproceedings{1183267,
  abstract     = {{Phthalates are organic lipophilic compounds which are mainly used as plasticizer to increase the flexibility of plastic polymers. Human exposure occurs mainly via food ingestion and can cause a wide range of negative health effects (e.g. disruption of the endocrine system). Phthalates are not only present in food because of environmental contamination, but also as a result of migration from packaging and contact materials (e.g. conveyor belts). This study investigates the phthalate contamination in cow milk at farm level. The levels of eight phthalates (DMP, DEP, DiBP, DBP, BBP, DEHP, DCHP and DNOP) were determined in raw milk samples collected from five farms in an area around the city of Mol in ‘The Kempen’ in Flanders (Belgium). Both manually obtained milk samples as milk samples obtained by milking machines were collected. Analysis was performed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with electron impact ionisation. The phthalate concentrations in the raw milk samples were compared with each other in order to determine the contamination pathways for cow milk at farm level. The analysis of the milk samples milked by machine revealed a difference in total phthalate level between the different farms, ranging from 90.6 to 1065.1 µg/kg fat (results of the summer sampling period). While comparing milk samples from the same farm, lower total phthalate levels were found in the milk samples milked by hand than those by machine (e.g. 90.2 versus 174.4 µg/kg fat). DEHP which is the most commonly used plasticizer worldwide, was the most dominating phthalate in all the milk samples. This study seems to indicate that phthalate contamination in raw milk strongly depends on the type of milking equipment (e.g. the use of plastic milking tubes) the farms are using and to a smaller degree results from an environmental transfer.}},
  author       = {{Fierens, Tine and Van Holderbeke, Mirja and Willems, Hanny and Sioen, Isabelle and De Henauw, Stefaan}},
  booktitle    = {{Abstract book of the 2nd Young Environmental Scientists meeting}},
  keywords     = {{Milk,Phthalate,Dairy products,Migration,Plasticizer}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  location     = {{Aachen, Germany}},
  pages        = {{98--98}},
  publisher    = {{SETAC Europe. Students Advisory Council (SAC)}},
  title        = {{Phthalates in cow milk: possible contamination pathways at farm level}},
  url          = {{http://doi.org/10.1186/2190-4715-23-29}},
  year         = {{2011}},
}

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