심주희 ((유)워터스코리아)

문철우 ((유)워터스코리아)

심주희 ((유)워터스코리아)

문철우 ((유)워터스코리아)

With increasing global attention on the use of recycled plastic materials, regulations have been announced both internationally and domestically to gradually raise the proportion of recycled content in plastic beverage bottles, beginning with PET bottles. However, concerns over the safety of recycled plastics have emerged, as hundreds of toxic substances have been reported in recycled plastic pellets through international studies and media reports.

In this study, recycled PET pellets currently used by industry were analyzed using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry (UPLC-HRMS) to identify PET cyclic oligomers and establish an analytical method. Through QTof analysis, various PET cyclic oligomers were identified, including di-, tri-, and hexa-oligomers belonging to the 1st and 2nd series based on their degree of polymerization. Notably, these substances were confirmed to possess structural toxicity, classified as Cramer Class III, indicating a high level of toxicological concern.