Influence of time on phthalate esters concentrations in vehicle plastic materials during vehicle operation

The aim of this work was to determine the concentrations of phthalic acid esters (PAEs) in plastic materials used in automobiles and monitor the changes in concentrations over time. The phthalates can be released into the car interior during the operation of the vehicle and thereby inhaled by the driver, or the PAEs can migrate from plastics to the surrounding contact materials. Esters of phthalic acid are used as plasticizer of plastics. They are not chemically bonded in polymers, so they can migrate into materials, which are in contact with them, leach or evaporate into the environment. Phthalic acid esters have teratogenic and carcinogenic effects and negative effects on the male reproductive system. In this study the most commonly used phthalates were determined: dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP). Nine samples of plastic materials that are used in the car interior were analysed. The samples were new plastics, which were made for car mounting. Each sample of the plastic material was subdivided into individual components, from which the sample consists, and each part of every sample was analysed separately. The first sample analysis was performed immediately after the obtaining of the plastic samples (after the plastics production) and subsequently after 3 months. The samples of plastic automobile components were transported in the car in the period between the two analyses. The car was used in normal operation. It simulated the actual plastic environment, where these plastics are normally placed. All analyses were performed in triplicate. In total, they were 18 samples of plastics analysed and 108 analyses were performed. Phthalic acid esters were determined by high pressure liquid chromatography.