Di-(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate Concentrations Research Articles

Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate impairs angiogenesis and hematopoiesis via suppressing VEGF signaling in zebrafish

Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is among the most widely used plasticizers in plastic production, which has been detected in various environments. However, DEHP safety remains poorly known. Using zebrafish models, the effects of DEHP on the angiogenesis and hematopoiesis, and the underlying mechanism, were studied. Transgenic zebrafish embryos with specific fluorescence of vascular endothelial cells, myeloid cells, or hematopoietic stem cells were exposed to 0, 100, 150, 200, or 250 nM of DEHP for 22, 46 or 70 h, followed by fluorescence observation, endogenous alkaline phosphatase activity measurement, erythrocyte staining, and gene expression analysis by quantitative PCR and whole mount in situ hybridization. High DEHP concentrations decreased the sprouting rate, average diameter, and length, and the expansion area of the vessels lowered the EAP activity and suppressed the vascular endothelial growth factor (vegf) and hematopoietic marker genes, including c-myb, hbae1, hbbe1, and lyz expressions. DEHP treatment also decreased the number of hematopoietic stem cells, erythrocytes, and myeloid cells at 24 and 72 hpf. These DEHP-induced angiogenetic and hematopoietic defects might be alleviated by vegf overexpression. Our results reveal a plausible mechanistic link between DEHP exposure-induced embryonic angiogenetic defect and hematopoietic impairment.

Determination and Traceability Analysis of Phthalic Acid Esters in Garlic (Allium stivum L.) from Jiangsu Province, China

Phthalic acid esters (PAEs) are ubiquitous environmental pollutants and are recognized as a threat to the environment and agricultural product safety across the world. In order to investigate the level of PAEs in garlic, soils, and agricultural films from Pizhou City, Jiangsu province, China, 11 garlic samples, 106 soil samples, and 4 agricultural film samples were collected and analyzed using GC-MS. In addition, the uptake and transport characteristics of six PAEs compounds classified as priority pollutants by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the garlic cultivar Daqingke were investigated under hydroponic conditions. The results indicated that dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) were the dominant PAEs species in garlic cloves of the different garlic varieties from Pizhou City. The average contents of DBP and DEHP in garlic cloves were 0.611 mg·kg-1 and 0.167 mg·kg-1, respectively, which were significantly higher than those of the commercial varieties of garlic. The concentrations of DBP and DEHP differed in three tissues of garlic bulbs, ordered as the skin of garlic bulb>skin of garlic clove>garlic clove. Dimethyl phthalate (DMP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP), DBP, and DEHP were the main PAEs species and were detected in all the surface soils collected from Pizhou City. Compared with the soil allowable concentrations of the six PAEs in the United States, the DMP and DBP concentrations in approximately 100% and 63.2% of soil samples exceeded the recommended allowable concentrations set by the EPA. However, the levels of DEP, DIBP, and DEHP in the soils were below the maximum allowable concentrations set by the EPA. Nevertheless, the average content of DEHP in soils was 486 μg·kg-1 and was found to be much higher than that in the other four PAEs. Six PAEs, including DMP, DEP, DIBP, DBP, butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP), and DEHP, were detected in all the agricultural film samples. Among them, the contents of DBP and DEHP in the agricultural films were the highest, accounting for 53.7%-63.2% of the total PAEs. The amount of PAEs present in the residual film was significantly lower than that in the new film, and all six PAEs were detected in garlic or soil samples, suggesting that agricultural film can be an important source of PAEs in garlic farming soils and garlic. Furthermore, the garlic plants absorbed DMP and DEP efficiently from the substrate and showed higher translocation factors (TFs) for DMP and DEP than those for DBP, BBP, DEHP, and di-n-octyl phthalate (DnOP), resulting in a higher accumulation of DMP and DEP in the over-ground parts of garlic. In contrast, DBP and BBP in roots of garlic displayed higher bioconcentration factors (57.4 and 81.5, respectively) compared to those of the other four PAEs, whereas the TFs of DBP and BBP were lower; this may have contributed to the high accumulation of DBP in garlic bulbs. The BCFs and TFs of DEHP and DnOP in garlic were relatively lower, but the DEHP had been detected in all garlic cloves, which may be a result of the higher DEHP contents in soils.

Mechanism involved in cell death induced by DEHP (Di-ethylhexyl phthalate) on primary brain cells from Zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Human and ecological exposure to chemical contaminants continue to increase given anthropogenic activities and sources. Phthalates are among the most persistent toxic chemicals found in aquatic systems. Phthalates belong to a family of chemical compounds that are heavily used in global manufacturing, distinguished for being able to provide durability and elasticity to plastic products, with poor water solubility and low evaporation. In terms of health impact, these compounds have been shown to breach the placental barrier having effect on human development and neurodegeneration. The main purpose of our study has been to assess the neurotoxicity of phthalates implementing the zebrafish (Danio rerio) model to determine the cell death induction of DEHP on brain cells. For many years, the zebrafish embryonic model has been used to study vertebrate development. Our study, in contrast, used adult zebrafish to resemble mature species that can be continuously exposed to low concentrations of DEHP. To assess the neurotoxicity, brain tissue from zebrafish was extracted via dissection, and primary neural cells dissociated to obtain primary cell subcultures. The neural cells where subsequently exposed to DEHP (Di-ethylhexyl phthalate) at concentrations from 10µM to 100µM for 48 hours to observe cell growth inhibition (GI50). The results indicate neural cell death at a GI50 of 62.9 µM. Apoptosis induction, caspase activation, mitochondrial membrane damage as well as autophagy cell death were analyzed to identify DEHP cell death mechanism at the GI50 concentration. In conclusion, this study clearly demonstrated that DEHP can induce apoptosis cell death on zebrafish neural brain cells in culture through the activation of an intrinsic apoptotic pathways with caspases 3 and 7 activation as well as autophagic pathway and mitochondrial damage. The presence of phthalates as well as other chemical contaminants on aquatic environments needs to be earnestly controlled in order to reduce neurotoxicity to aquatic species as well as human.

Neonatal exposure to phthalate and alternative plasticizers via parenteral nutrition

Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), a plasticizer used to soften plastic medical devices (PMDs), was restricted in PMDs due to adverse health effects, being gradually replaced by alternative plasticizers (APs). Parenteral nutrition (PN), essential in the care for premature neonates in the neonatal intensive care unit, is stored in plastic storage bags and administered intravenously through plastic infusion circuits. We investigated to which extent PN contributes to current phthalate and AP exposure in premature neonates. First, we showed that DEHP and several APs are present in relevant amounts in PMDs used for neonatal PN administration. Secondly, ex vivo experiments mimicking clinical PN administration showed that lipid emulsions contained significant concentrations of DEHP and several APs (ATBC, TOTM, DEHT & DEHA), while hardly any plasticizers were detected in non-lipid solutions. ATBC leached from infusion circuits, while lipid emulsions were the major source for DEHP, TOTM, DEHT, and DEHA. PN administration resulted in estimated daily exposures of 13.9 µg/kg/d DEHP and 95.7 µg/kg/d ATBC in premature neonates, below their respective reference doses. Our data indicate that premature neonates requiring PN are still exposed to DEHP, as well as to a range of APs, making it a target for reduction of harmful plasticizer exposure.

Biodegradation of high di-(2-Ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) concentration by food waste composting and its toxicity assessment using seed germination test

Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), a plasticizer derived from phthalate ester, is used as an additive in industrial products such as plastics, paints, and medical devices. However, DEHP is known as an endocrine-disrupting chemical, causing cancers and adverse effects on human health. This study evaluated DEHP biodegradation efficiency via food waste composting during 35 days of incubation. At high DEHP concentrations (2167 mg kg−1) in food waste compost mixture, the DEHP biodegradation efficiency was 99% after 35 days. The highest degradation efficiency was recorded at the thermophilic phase (day 3 - day 11) with the biodegradation rate reached 187 mg kg−1 day−1. DEHP was metabolized to dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and dimethyl phthalate (DMP) and would be oxidized to benzyl alcohol (BA) and mineralized into CO2 and water via various metabolisms. Finally, the compost's quality with residual DEHP was evaluated using Brassica chinensis L. seeds via 96 h of germination tests. The compost (at day 35) with a trace amount of DEHP as the end product showed no significant effect on the germination rate of Brassica chinensis L. seeds (88%) compared to that without DEHP (94%), indicating that the compost can be reused as fertilizer in agricultural applications. These results provide an improved understanding of the DEHP biodegradation via food waste composting without bioaugmentation and hence facilitating its green remediation and conversion into value-added products. Nevertheless, further studies are needed on DEHP biodegradation in large-scale food waste composting or industrial applications.

Source tracing and health risk assessment of phthalate esters in household tap-water: A case study of the urban area of Quanzhou, Southeast China

The occurrence of phthalate esters (PAEs) in household tap water has been investigated via the presence of their geochemical characteristics in the pretreatment and transfer processes of water plants in the urban and suburban areas of the subtropical medium-sized city of Quanzhou, southeast China. The results for all approximately 300 tap water samples collected from 6 sampling stations at household kitchens from Nov. 30, 2017, to Dec. 6, 2018, showed that dimethyl phthalate (DMP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), diisobutylphthaate (DIBP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP), and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) could be identified and quantified among the 16 PAE congeners with the developed gas chromatographymass spectrometry method. The levels of the sum of 5 PAE congeners (Σ5PAEs) for all tap water ranged from 780.0 ng/L to 9180 ng/L, while DIBP and DEHP were the most abundant congeners, accounting for 82.2% in the dry season, 89.9% in the normal season, and 89.3% in the wet season. Factors of the transferring process, such as the spatial distance from the sampling station to the water plant, the material of pipelines, and the storage time of tap water in the pipeline, affected the levels of PAE congeners in tap water from the correlation of Σ5PAEs levels and transferring distance according to hierarchical cluster analysis. The seasonal variations in Σ5PAEs and each congener had good agreement with the temperature, suggesting that PAEs in tap water mainly come from raw water, which should be further explored in future work. Health risk assessment of PAEs in tap water with the HQ method showed that the occurrence of DEP and DBP has no noncarcinogenic risk for adults and children, while the concentration of DEHP might cause potential noncarcinogenic risk for adults and children, which should be given considerably more attention.

Fe-Mn impregnated biochar alleviates di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate stress in vegetative growth of wheat

In this study, we examined the effects of 0.5–2% iron and manganese oxide-modified biochar (FM) as remediation to control di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) in the soil and the response of wheat at different growth stages. The application of FM and original biochar (BC) significantly reduced DEHP concentrations in wheat roots and leaves and effectively immobilised DEHP in soils at different stages, and alleviated the oxidative damage of DEHP by significantly reducing O2– and H2O2 content and increasing the activities of antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide dismutase, catalase, and ascorbate peroxidase. Moreover, photosynthetic parameters (stomatal conductance, intercellular carbon dioxide concentration, photosynthetic rate, and transpiration rate) and fluorescence indicators (maximum photochemical efficiency, electron transport rate, and actual quantum yield) of the wheat growing in DEHP-spiked soils were also improved, which caused increases in the biomass of above-ground and underground at the seedling, booting, and ripening stages. Compared to BC, the FM amendment led to a greater improvement in crop biomass by reducing DEHP bioavailability. Therefore, FM has a good potential for the remediation of DEHP-polluted soils.

Ecotoxicological response of zebrafish liver (Danio rerio) induced by di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate

• DEHP presented low acute toxicity to adult zebrafish ( Danio rerio ) • DEHP induced oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation and DNA damage in zebrafish hepatic tissue. • Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity of zebrafish liver was significantly inhibited after DEHP exposure. • The ecotoxicological risk of adult zebrafish increased with increasing DEHP concentrations. Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) has become a ubiquitous contaminant in aquatic environments due to its increasing utilization in recent years. Although its environmental risks to aquatic organisms have attracted widespread attention, the ecotoxicological effects and toxic mechanism of DEHP on zebrafish ( Danio rerio ) liver remain poorly understood. Herein, this study investigated the acute toxicity, oxidative damage, neurotoxicity, and DNA damage of DEHP on zebrafish at the individual, tissue, physiological and biochemical levels. Results showed that no evident lethal effects of DEHP on zebrafish were observed in all testing concentrations. But in the chronic toxicity test (28 days), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities in zebrafish liver mainly increased during the pre-and mid-exposure experiment and subsequently decreased after 28 days exposure, whereas the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activities were always inhibited. By comparison, reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA), and glutathione S-transferase (GST) levels generally increased throughout the experiment, indicating that DEHP enhanced oxidative stress lipid peroxidation, and cytotoxicity of zebrafish liver. DEHP induced DNA damage in hepatocyte, which was positively correlated with changes in ROS levels (0.9874 ≥ R 2 ≥ 0.7374). Based on the risk assessment results, the integrated biomarker response (IBR) values were positively correlated with the DHEP concentrations, suggesting that higher DHEP concentrations may cause much more serious detrimental effects to zebrafish liver. Overall, this study is of great significance for understanding the ecotoxicity and mechanism of DEHP on zebrafish.

Impact of mold growth on di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate emission from moist wallpaper

Flood damage can increase indoor concentrations of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and molds in households with wallpaper. Wallpaper water content can affect its DEHP emission into indoor environments; however, the influence of mold growth on this DEHP emission remains unclear. Here, we evaluated whether mold growth affects DEHP emission from moist wallpaper (moist WP). Experiments were conducted in glass chambers with wallpaper containing 12.7% (w/w) DEHP and a dust tray sample system at approximately 28 °C and 100% relative humidity (RH). The experimental groups were (1) moist WP, (2) moist WP + Aspergillus versicolor (AV), (3) moist WP + Cladosporium cladosporioides, (4) moist WP + Penicillium chrysogenum, and (5) moist WP + mold mixture. Mold growth on the wallpaper and DEHP emission into air and onto dust were analyzed at nine time-points over 30 days. Initially, the moist WP group emitted relatively high concentrations of DEHP into air, but after at least 8 days, the concentration of DEHP emitted by the mold-added groups exceeded that of the moist WP group. DEHP emission onto dust, especially from the moist WP group, increased considerably at day 15. During the experimental period, the moist WP (13.63 ± 4.67 μg) and moist WP + AV (13.93 ± 0.49 μg) groups emitted higher cumulative amounts of DEHP onto dust. During the 30-day experimental period, obvious mold growth occurred over days 15–30. Moreover, the moist WP group exhibited relatively higher and lower cumulative DEHP emission into air than the mold-added groups during days 2–10 (2.71 vs. 1.94–2.94 μg) and 15–30 (1.16 vs. 1.61–2.12), respectively; a contrasting trend was observed for cumulative DEHP emission onto dust. In conclusion, mold growth affects DEHP emission from water-damaged wallpaper, and the removal or cleaning of wet wallpaper, particularly those with visible mold growth, is critical from a public health perspective.

Dynamics of di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) in the indoor air of an office

Largely limited by measurement technique, dynamics of semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs) in the indoor air is not well understood. This study reports time-resolved measurements of airborne concentration of di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) in an office, using semivolatile thermal desorption aerosol gas chromatography (SV-TAG). The measurements were conducted in two separate periods during the summer-to-fall transition in 2020, each for more than 10 days. The indoor gas-plus-particle DEHP concentration varied by more than one order of magnitude in each observation period, and the temporal pattern exhibited possible influences of the indoor temperature, particle mass concentration, and outdoor DEHP concentrations. Further analysis focusing on window-closed conditions (i.e., with less outdoor contribution) reveals that the DEHP dynamics was primarily driven by variations in the indoor temperature ( R 2 = 0.85) during the first, warmer period (24–29 °C), and by variations in the particle mass concentration ( R 2 = 0.83) during the subsequent cooler period (20–23 °C). The unexpected transition of the key driving factor with change of the temperature was qualitatively justified by a simplified mechanistic model. Moreover, the particle fraction of DEHP was measured during the latter, cooler period, and it exhibited strong dependence on particle concentration, which can be fitted assuming gas-particle equilibrium partitioning, with a best-fit apparent partitioning coefficient of 0.053 ± 0.006 m 3 /μg at 20 ± 1 °C. Overall, these results improve our understanding of real-world SVOC dynamics. • In a warmer period variation in temperature drove DEHP dynamics in an office. • In a cooler period variation in particle concentration drove DEHP dynamics in the office. • Transition of the key driving factor with change in temperature was justified by mechanistic model. • Observed gas/particle partitioning of DEHP can be fitted assuming equilibrium state.

Mixed exposure to phenol, parabens, pesticides, and phthalates and insulin resistance in NHANES: A mixture approach

PurposeThe effects of environmental chemicals on insulin resistance have attracted extensive attention. Previous studies typically focused on the single chemical effects. This study adopted three different models to analyze the mixed effects of nine common chemicals (one phenol, two parabens, two chlorophenols and four phthalates) on insulin resistance. MethodsUrinary concentrations of chemicals were extracted from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2009–2016. Insulin resistance was assessed using homeostatic model assessment (HOMA) and defined as HOMA-IR >2.6. The generalized linear regression (GLM), weighted quantile sum regression (WQS) and Bayesian kernel machine regression models (BKMR) were applied to assess the relationship between chemical mixture and HOMA-IR or insulin resistance. ResultsOf the 2067 participants included, 872 (42.19 %) were identified as insulin resistant. In single-chemical GLM model, di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) had the highest parameter (β/OR, 95 % CIs) of 0.21 (quartile 4, 0.12– 0.29) and 1.95 (quartile 4, 1.39– 2.74). Similar results were observed in the multi-chemical models, with DEHP (quartile 4) showing the positive relationship with HOMA-IR (0.18, 0.08– 0.28) and insulin resistance (1.76, 1.17– 2.64). According to WQS models, the WQS indices were significantly positively correlated with both HOMA-IR (β: 0.07, 95 % CI: 0.03– 0.12) and insulin resistance (OR: 1.25, 95 % CI: 1.03– 1.53). DEHP was the top-weighted chemical positively correlated with both HOMA-IR and insulin resistance. In the BKMR model, the joint effect was also positively correlated with both outcomes. DEHP remained the main contributor to the joint effect, consistent with WQS analysis. ConclusionOur findings suggested that these chemical mixtures had the positive joint effects on both HOMA-IR and insulin resistance, with DEHP being the potentially predominant driver. The inter-validation of the three models may indicate that reducing the DEHP concentration could improve glucose homeostasis and reduce the risk of insulin resistance. However, further studies are recommended to deepen our findings and elucidate the mechanisms of insulin resistance and chemical mixture.

Gas-phase and PM2.5-bound phthalates in nail salons: characteristics, exposure via inhalation, and influencing factors.

This study aimed to investigate the characteristics of, exposure to, and factors influencing gas-phase and PM2.5-bound phthalates (PAEs) in nail salons. Data on both indoor and outdoor gas-phase and PM2.5-bound PAEs, carbon dioxide (CO2), temperature, and relative humidity were collected in nail salons. We also used questionnaires to survey building characteristics and occupants' behaviors. The average total gas-phase and PM2.5-bound PAE concentrations indoors were higher than those outdoors by 6 and 3 times, respectively. Diethyl phthalate, diisobutyl phthalate (DiBP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP), and di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) were the predominant compounds among both the gas-phase and PM2.5-bound PAEs in indoor air. The volume of the salon's space or the difference of indoor and outdoor CO2 concentrations (dCO2) was significantly associated with indoor PAE concentrations. The ratios of PM2.5-bound to gas-phase PAEs, especially high-molecular-weight PAEs, were positively associated with the dCO2 concentrations. Higher ratios of indoor to outdoor PM2.5-bound DiBP, DnBP, and DEHP concentrations were discovered when more clients visited each day. Building characteristics, ventilation conditions, and occupants' activities have influences on the gas-phase and particle-phase PAEs. The study identifies the characteristics of gas-phase and PM2.5-bound PAEs in nail salons and their influencing factors.

Changes in the Concentration of Phthalic Acid Esters in the Plastic Materials of Vehicles During the Usage

The presence of dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) was monitored in 16 automotive plastic samples (steering wheel, dashboard, seats, headrests, and air conditioning control). The plastic samples were obtained from a crashed vehicle that had been in operation for only one month. Phthalates were determined by HPLC. The first analysis was performed immediately after the sample preparation, the second one after 3 months of storage, the third one after 6 months of storage, the fourth one after 9 months of storage, and the fifth one after 15 months of storage. The average DBP concentrations ranged from 1.3 to 197.1 μg g–1 of plastic at the beginning, 1.7to 161.5 μg g–1 of plastic in the 3rd month, 0.5 to 78.9 μg g–1 of plastic in the 6th month, 2.3 to 123.3 μg g–1 of plastic in the 9th month, and 14.0 to 98.6 μg g–1 of plastic in the 15th month. The average DEHP concentrations ranged from 1,7 to 185,7 μg g–1 of plastic at the beginning, 3,9 to 45,4 μg g–1 of plastic in the 3rd month, 1,4 to 252,4 μg g–1 of plastic on the 6th month, 5,1 to 41,7 μg g–1 in the 9th month, and 2,3 to 87,5 μg g–1 in the 15th month. In particular, higher concentrations were found in soft plastics. An interesting finding is that the content of both phthalates (DBP and DEHP) was also present in leather materials. According to the comparison of phthalates concentrations during storage, it can be stated that phthalates concentration decreases with time and, after approximately 15 months of storage, concentrations decreased: for DBP by 20 to 90% (in 44% samples) and for DEHP by 30 to 90% (in 70% samples). For the other samples, the increase of both phthalates was probably due to depolymerisation of the plastics by UV exposure, temperature and storage time. Phthalates are human carcinogens and they can cause the death or tissue malformation. They are dangerous for liver function. The legislation of the Czech Republic and European Union has not yet dealt with these problems.

Role of Toll-like Receptor/MyD88 Signaling in Lycopene Alleviated Di-2-ethylhexyl Phthalate (DEHP)-Induced Inflammatory Response.

Lycopene (Lyc) has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant biological functions. Di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) is an extremely harmful and persistent environmental pollutant and is a threat to animal health. The toll-like receptor (TLR)/MyD88 pathway is an important pathway in the inflammatory response. To illustrate the potential antagonistic action of Lyc against DEHP by the TLR/MyD88 pathway, 140 ICR mice were randomly assigned groups and continuously gavaged with corn oil, distilled water, different DEHP concentrations (500 or 1000 mg/kg BW/day), and/or Lyc (5 mg/kg BW/day) for 28 days. The data show that Lyc effectively attenuates the DEHP-induced activation of the TLR/MyD88 pathway, the upregulation of JNK expression, the content of IL-6 and TNF-α, and the downregulation of the IL-10 content, which eventually inhibit the inflammatory response and mitochondrial injuries. These findings underline the TLR/MyD88 pathway as a potential therapeutic target in DEHP and Lyc as a new therapeutic method to inhibit DEHP toxicity.

Nanosurface-immobilized lipase and its degradation of phthalate wastewater

Phthalic acid esters (PAEs) are hard-to-degrade organic pollutants of current concern, and enzyme degradation is a green method for effective degradation of PAEs. To improve the recognition of PAEs, the combination of molecular blotting and immobilized enzyme technology is a novel and efficient method for the degradation of PAEs. In this study, molecularly imprinted carrier (MIP-HNTs) was prepared from halloysite nanotubes (HNTs), using di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) as the template molecule, methyl methacrylate (MMA) as the functional monomer and (ethylene methacrylate) EDGMA as the cross-linking agent. A novel immobilized enzyme (MIP-HNTs@lipase) was prepared successfully via glutaraldehyde cross-linking, subsequently. The lipase loading efficiency was 76%. The optimal enzymatic activity conditions for MIP-HNTs@lipase were determined to be pH=9 and 50 °C. The MIP-HNTs@lipase exhibited good stability and efficient degradation of DEHP with a degradation rate of 94.758% when the DEHP concentration was at 5 mg·L–1. This research provided a new strategy for industrial application of enzymes and degradation of persistent pollutants.

Exposure to DEHP is potential to increase the risk of overactive bladder, evidence from NHANES 2003-2008.

Overactive bladder (OAB) is a group of clinical symptoms that are highly bothersome to the life and spirit of patients. However, little is known about the role of ubiquitous di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) exposure in the disorder. Hence, the study was conducted. The data were collected using the 2003-2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data (n = 2121), and multiple logistic regression was adapted. The concentrations of DEHP (∑DEHP) were calculated for each metabolite and split into quartiles for analysis. After adjusting for confounding factors, ∑DEHP was associated with increased odds of OAB for the highest quartile (OR = 1.15, 95% CI [1.06, 1.25], p < 0.05), and the highest quartile of metabolites showed similar results, such as mono-(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate (OR = 1.09, 95% CI [1.01, 1.19], p < 0.05), mono-(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate (OR = 1.21, 95% CI [1.11, 1.32], p < 0.05) and mono-(2-ethyl-5-carboxypentyl) phthalate (OR = 1.22, 95% CI [1.12, 1.33], p < 0.05). The association remained when the analyses were stratified by age and sex. Our study adds evidence for understanding the potential role of environmental factors in OAB, and further research is needed to determine whether the status of OAB can be changed by controlling DEHP exposure.

Effect of Di-(2-Ethylhexyl) Phthalate on Certain Haematological and Histological Parameters of Common Carp (&lt;i&gt;Cyprinus carpio&lt;/i&gt;)

Di-(2-Ethyl-Hexyl) Phthalate (DEHP) is a plasticizer commonly found in aquatic environment due to wide use of plastics for various purposes. In this study, common carp (Cyprinus carpio) (length 14.2 ± 0.82 cm and weight 32.8 ± 0.66 g) were exposed to DEHP at three different concentration levels i.e., 10, 100 and 1000 ?g l-1 water for 30 d to find out its effect on certain haematological and histological parameters. Haematological studies revealed significant (p&lt;0.05) decrease in erythrocyte counts, while leukocyte counts were significantly increased in treated group with increasing concentration of DEHP. Further, treatment of DEHP in concentration dependent manner showed deformities in erythrocytes whereas leukocytes were unaffected. The total plasma protein level was significantly (p&lt;0.05) decreased in lower to higher concentration of the exposure. Histological studies showed gill and liver tissues were affected with impaired histoarchitecture in a dose dependent manner.

Di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate affects zinc metabolism and neurogenesis in the developing rat brain

We previously observed that developmental marginal zinc deficiency affects neurogenesis. Maternal phthalate exposure could disrupt fetal zinc homeostasis by triggering an acute phase response, causing maternal liver zinc retention that limits zinc availability to the fetus. Thus, we currently investigated whether exposure to di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) during gestation in rats alters fetal brain neurogenesis by impairing zinc homeostasis. Dams consumed an adequate (25 μg zinc/g diet) (C) or a marginal zinc deficient (MZD) (10 μg zinc/g diet) diet, without or with DEHP (300 mg/kg BW) (C + DEHP, MZD + DEHP) from embryonic day (E) 0 to E19. To evaluate neurogenesis we measured parameters of neural progenitor cells (NPC) proliferation and differentiation. Maternal exposure to DEHP and/or zinc deficiency lowered fetal brain cortical tissue (CT) zinc concentrations. Transcription factors involved in NPC proliferation (PAX6, SOX2, EMX1), differentiation (TBR2, TBR1) and mature neurons (NeuN) were lower in MZD, MZD + DEHP and C + DEHP than in C E19 brain CT, being the lowest in the MZD + DEHP group. VGLUT1 levels, a marker of glutamatergic neurons, showed a similar pattern. Levels of a marker of GABAergic neurons, GAD65, did not vary among groups. Phosphorylated ERK1/2 levels were reduced by both MZD and DEHP, and particularly in the MZD + DEHP group. MEHP-treated human neuroblastoma IMR-32 cells and E19 brains from DEHP-treated dams showed that the zinc-regulated phosphatase PP2A can be in part responsible for DEHP-mediated ERK1/2 downregulation and impaired neurogenesis. Overall, gestational exposure to DEHP caused secondary zinc deficiency and impaired neurogenesis. These harmful effects could have long-term consequences on the adult offspring brain structure and function.

Risk Assessment of Phthalates and Their Metabolites in Hospitalized Patients: A Focus on Di- and Mono-(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalates Exposure from Intravenous Plastic Bags.

Phthalate esters (PAEs) are plasticizers associated with multiple toxicities; however, no strict regulations have been implemented to restrict their use in medical applications in Lebanon. Our study aimed at assessing the potential risks correlated with phthalate exposure from IV bags manufactured in Lebanon. GC–MS analysis showed that di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is the predominant phthalate found in almost all samples tested with values ranging from 32.8 to 39.7% w/w of plastic. DEHP concentrations in the IV solutions reached up to 148 µg/L, as measured by SPME-GC–MS/MS, thus resulting in hazard quotients greater than 1, specifically in neonates. The toxicity of DEHP is mainly attributed to its metabolites, most importantly mono-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP). The IV bag solution with the highest content in DEHP was therefore used to extrapolate the amounts of urinary MEHP. The highest concentrations were found in neonates having the lowest body weight, which is concerning, knowing the adverse effects of MEHP in infants. Our study suggests that the use of IV bags manufactured in Lebanon could pose a significant risk in hospitalized patients, especially infants in neonatal care. Therefore, Lebanon, as well as other countries, should start imposing laws that restrict the use of phthalates in medical IV bags and substitute them with less toxic plasticizers.

Identification of Phthalates from Artificial Products in Chinese Kindergarten Classrooms and the Implications for Preschool Children's Exposure Assessments.

Phthalates are typical chemical pollutants in kindergarten classrooms since numerous artificial products (e.g., polyvinyl chloride (PVC) floorings, soft polymers and plastic toys) that might contain phthalates are widely distributed in kindergarten classrooms. Although Chinese preschool children spend a considerable amount of their waking hours (>8 h/day) in kindergartens, phthalate exposure in such indoor environment has not been given much attention. In this study, the mass fractions of six phthalates in twenty-six artificial products (fifteen flat decoration materials and eleven plastic toys) commonly found in Chinese kindergarten classrooms were measured. Di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) was the most predominant compound in all materials. The emission characteristics of the DEHP from these materials were further investigated. The measured emission characteristics were used for predicting multi-phase DEHP concentrations in kindergarten classrooms by applying a mass transfer model. The modeled concentrations were comparable with those measured in the real environment, indicating that these products might be the major sources of DEHP in Chinese kindergarten classrooms. Preschool children’s exposure to DEHP was found to be 0.42 μg/kg/day in kindergartens under baseline conditions, accounting for 18% of the total exposure to DEHP in Chinese indoor environments.