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Photodegradation of Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA) and Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT) In Aquatic Environmental Conditions

Year: 2026
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) are synthetic chemicals widely used in a variety of foods, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and rubber and petroleum products, mainly as antioxidants. Examples of food products containing BHA and/or BHT as preservatives include cereals, snacks, baked products, meat, and sweets. Their extensive use has allowed the chemicals to spread into environments such as sewage and surface water, as well as into human tissues. BHA is anticipated to be a human carcinogen, but its detailed toxicity is still under research. BHA and BHT are susceptible to transformation under exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light. There is limited research on the photodegradation of BHA and BHT; published data on their photodegradation in aqueous environments, their half-life, and their photoproducts are scarce. In this research, the photodegradation pathways and photoproducts of BHA and BHT in simulated aqueous environments were investigated to provide data that could benefit the environmental management and safety assessment, as well as the development of alternatives to the chemicals. 100 ?M of BHA and BHT in separate aqueous solutions in quartz tubes were exposed to UV light using a solar simulator set to an irradiance of 750 W/m², with samples taken at several time points between 0 - 24 hours. Samples were analyzed using High Performance Liquid Chromatography with UV absorbance detection (HPLC-UV). Under these conditions, the photodegradation half-life of BHA was 3.75 hours, and that of BHT was 6.9 hours. Several photoproducts were observed for both chemicals. Indirect photodegradation of BHA was also studied in three different aquatic environmental conditions: in the presence of organic matter, in ii salt water close to ocean salinity, and with organic matter in salt water. Future study includes the separation and identification of photoproducts and the indirect photodegradation of BHT in different aquatic environments.
DOI: 10.60742/ajsy-j998
Language: English
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7138301465
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