Unveiling Human Exposure to Plasticizers through Drinking Tea: A Nationwide Study

Dietary intake represents a significant exposure pathway for phthalates (PAEs) and nonphthalate plasticizers (NPPs). However, the associated exposure risk linked to tea consumption remains unclear. This study analyzed 10 PAEs and 10 NPPs in six types of tea collected from 18 provinces in China. Both PAEs and NPPs were detected in all samples, with concentrations ranging from 309 to 8150 ng/g for PAEs and 42.2 to 899 ng/g for NPPs, respectively. Source apportionment analysis indicates that packaging materials are important sources of plasticizer contamination in tea. The concentrations of di-isobutyl phthalate (DiBP), benzyl-butyl phthalate (BzBP), and trioctyl trimellitate (TOTM) in tea exhibited a significant correlation with those found in packaging materials (r: 0.414–0.465, p < 0.01). Five transformation products (TPs) of plasticizers were identified in brewed tea samples through suspect screening analysis, raising concerns about their potential health effects. Comparisons suggest that cold brewing may result in higher plasticizer exposure than hot brewing after a single brew. However, as the brewing times for hot brewed tea increased, the risk of human exposure rose, ultimately exceeded that of cold brewed tea. This study provides national-scale data on plasticizer contamination in Chinese tea and valuable insights into tea consumption practices.