Personal Protective Equipment as a Potential Source of Phthalate Exposure during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Personal protective equipment (PPE)—especially face masks, face shields, and gloves—was used to minimize the spread of COVID-19. PPE is primarily made of plastic materials with various plastic additives, such as phthalate plasticizers. Phthalates are linked with various adverse health effects. Therefore, this study investigated the amounts of six commonly used phthalates (DBP, BBP, DEHP, DnOP, DINP, and DIDP) in different types of PPE samples collected during the pandemic. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) was used to detect six selected phthalates and other organic chemicals in PPE samples. The quality of data was ensured using certified reference materials, internal standards, procedural blanks, and replicate analyses. The total phthalate content found in face shields and face masks was in the range of 0.29 µg/g to 942.60 µg/g, with DBP, DEHP, and DINP detected most frequently. A health risk assessment concluded that the determined levels were not expected to pose adverse health effects on the wearer. However, the findings of this study suggest that chronic daily intakes of phthalates from two vinyl glove samples with phthalate content exceeding 11% and 14% (w/w) of the glove’s weight may potentially increase the risk of cancer in humans. In addition to the target phthalates, flame retardants and other plasticizers (e.g., organophosphates and dioctyl isophthalate) were tentatively identified in various PPE samples.