Occurrence, soil–plant transfer and health risks of phthalate esters in chili peppers cultivation systems in Southwest China

Abstract

As endocrine-disrupting chemicals, plasticizers have become an increasing concern in agricultural environments and food systems due to their widespread use and environmental persistence. Due to their persistence in the environment and migration capacity, plasticizers can be absorbed and accumulated by plants, and may pose health risks to humans through the food chain. This study investigated the pollution characteristics of 16 priority phthalate esters (PAEs) in peppers from pepper planting bases in Chongqing. The occurrence of PAEs in soils and different pepper tissues was characterized, and their enrichment, translocation behavior, and associated human health risks were evaluated. The results revealed that DBP, DIBP, and DEHP were the predominant PAE congeners detected in both soil and pepper samples. The accumulation pattern of PAEs in roots, stems, leaves and fruits followed the order of DBP > DIBP > DEHP. According to the enrichment and translocation coefficients, the roots and above-ground parts of peppers had the strongest enrichment capacity for DBP, and DBP, DIBP and DEHP were all easy to migrate from roots to above-ground parts. Although the estimated dietary exposure risks of PAEs through chili pepper consumption were within acceptable levels in the investigated cultivation systems, the widespread application of agricultural plastics and their potential contribution to long-term PAE accumulation highlight the importance of continuous monitoring and sustainable plastic management strategies. This study highlights the combined influence of soil contamination and atmospheric deposition on PAE accumulation in fruit vegetables, hence providing scientific evidence to support environmental risk assessment and management of chili pepper cultivation in plastic-intensive agriculture systems.