ABSTRACT
Phthalates is the common generic name for dialkyl or alkyl aryl esters of orthophthalic acid or 1,2-benzene dicarboxylic acid (Figure 11.1). The environmental and biological behavior of this group of substances largely depends on the physicochemical properties of the individual compounds. Most phthalates are liquids at ambient temperature and their vapor pressure generally declines with increasing molecular mass or alkyl chain length. A similar decreasing trend with increasing alkyl chain length is observed for their solubility in water: dimethyl phthalate (DMP) dissolves best in water while di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is nearly water insoluble. On the contrary, the octanol-water partition coef†cient, which is the ratio of a chemical’s
11.1 Introduction .................................................................................................253 11.2 Levels of Phthalates in Food Products ........................................................255
