Mohery Mahmoud, Hamam Kholoud Ahmed, Landsberger Sheldon, Hakeem Israa J, Soliman Mohamed
Department of Physical Science, College of Science, University of Jeddah, Jeddah 80327, Saudi Arabia.
Nuclear Engineering Teaching Lab Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
Toxics. 2025 Jul 26;13(8):626. doi: 10.3390/toxics13080626.
This study aims to investigate the release of potentially toxic elements from disposable paper and plastic cups when exposed to hot water, simulating the scenario of their use in hot beverage consumption, and to assess the associated health risks. By using ICP-MS, twelve potentially toxic elements, namely As, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Mo, Pb, Sb, V, and Zn, were determined in leachates, revealing significant variability in mass fractions between paper and plastic cups, with plastic cups demonstrating greater leaching potential. Health risk assessments, including hazard quotient (HQ) and excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR), indicated minimal non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks for most elements, except Pb, which posed elevated non-carcinogenic risk, especially in plastic cups. Children showed higher relative exposure levels compared to adults due to their lower body weights (the HQ in children is two times greater than in adults). Overall, the findings of the current study underscore the need for stricter monitoring and regulation of materials used in disposable cups, especially plastic ones, to mitigate potential health risks. Future investigations should assess the leaching behavior of potentially toxic elements under conditions that accurately mimic real-world usage. Such investigations ought to incorporate a systematic evaluation of diverse temperature regimes, varying exposure durations, and different beverage types.
本研究旨在通过模拟一次性纸杯和塑料杯用于盛装热饮的场景，研究其在接触热水时潜在有毒元素的释放情况，并评估相关的健康风险。通过电感耦合等离子体质谱法（ICP-MS）测定了渗滤液中12种潜在有毒元素，即砷（As）、钡（Ba）、镉（Cd）、钴（Co）、铬（Cr）、铜（Cu）、锰（Mn）、钼（Mo）、铅（Pb）、锑（Sb）、钒（V）和锌（Zn），结果表明纸杯和塑料杯的质量分数存在显著差异，塑料杯的沥出潜力更大。健康风险评估，包括危害商（HQ）和终生超额癌症风险（ELCR），表明除铅外，大多数元素的非致癌和致癌风险极小，而铅的非致癌风险较高，尤其是在塑料杯中。由于儿童体重较低，其相对暴露水平高于成人（儿童的HQ是成人的两倍）。总体而言，本研究结果强调需要更严格地监测和监管一次性杯子使用的材料，特别是塑料杯，以降低潜在的健康风险。未来的研究应评估潜在有毒元素在准确模拟实际使用条件下的沥出行为。此类研究应系统评估不同的温度范围、不同的暴露持续时间和不同的饮料类型。
