Introduction:Polyethylene terphthalate (PET) is one of the materials that are widely used for packaging of beverages and edible oils. In this study, the migration of di(2- ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), dimethyl phthalate (DMP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), di-iso-butylphthalate (DIBP) and di-n-butylphthalate (DBP) from PET bottles into the lemon juice was investigated.

Material and methods:According to European Commission regulations, 3% acetic acid (w/v) was chosen as simulant. The acetic acid samples were stored at 5, 25, and 40°C for three months and analyzed periodically by gas chromatography.

Results and discussion: It was concluded that the storage temperature and time had a large effect on the migration of phthalet ester. The concentrations of migrating substance were more than its specific migration limit. The release kinetics of phthalet ester from PET bottle was described using Fick’s second law of diffusion coefficient, and crank model. The diffusion coefficients (D) determined for DEHP have most migration than other, were 0.084, 0.109, and 0.159 ×10-9 cm2/s at 5, 25, and 40°C, respectively. The diffusion coefficients (D) determined for DBP have most migration than other, were 0.084, 0.105, and 0.138 ×10-9 cm2/s at 5, 25, and 40°C, respectively. The diffusion coefficients (D) determined for DIBP have most migration than other, were 0.084, 0.177, and 0.125 ×10-9 cm2/s at 25, and 40°C, respectively. The temperature dependence of D, Arrhenius equation giving values of activation energy (Ea) for DIBP, DBP and DEHP are 2.82, 2.06 and 1.302 J mol-1 respectively.