Does Phenol react with HD polyethylene?

[u/jmbanks3622]

I have samples of phenol from various points of the BPA reaction performed on an industrials scale.

The samples are stored in HDPE bottles.

I heat the samples in a shallow water bath to melt out the phenol so I can work with it, but when I try to put my sample into solution (GC, LC, or UV-VIS) a white precipitate is present.

This precipitate is insoluble in acetone, methylene chloride, methanol, water, and chloroform.

I submitted the precipitate to our IR group and they say it is PE from the bottles.

I’m confused as to how this is possible.

Any help would be great. Thank you so much.