Presence of the biocide ortho-phenylphenol in canned soft drinks in the United States and Germany

Canned soft drink samples obtained from the United States and from Germany were analyzed for the biocidal (and potentially carcinogenic) compound ortho-phenylphenol (OPP). Sampling locations were Baltimore (Maryland), Yonkers (New York), Pasadena (California), and Munich (Germany). OPP was detected in 49 out of the 55 samples analyzed, with concentrations generally at the μg/l level. The highest OPP value was measured at 16.9 μg/l in a lemon flavored cola. A mean concentration of 2.9 μg/l was computed for OPP in all samples, assuming values of zero for those samples in which OPP was not detected. OPP was detected in soft drinks obtained from all regions sampled, suggesting that contamination of canned beverages by OPP may be a widespread phenomenon.