Total Phthalate Research Articles

Phthalates in House and Dormitory Dust: Occurrence, Human Exposure and Risk Assessment.

Phthalates are one of ubiquitous contaminants in the indoor environment. In this study, we analyzed concentrations and profiles of 9 phthalates in dust samples collected from houses and university dormitories in Nanjing, China. The total concentrations of phthalates in house and dormitory dust ranged from 111.4 to 3599.1µg/g and 86.1 to 1262.3µg/g, respectively. Phthalates in house was significantly higher than that in dormitory dust (p < 0.01). Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and di-isobutyl phthalate (DiBP) were the three predominant compounds and accounted for more than 98% of total phthalates in the two microenvironments. The estimated daily intake (EDI) of phthalates, carcinogenic risk (CR) of DEHP, and hazard index (HI) values of DEHP, DBP and DiBP were estimated. Except for adults, the CR of DEHP for four subgroups (infants, toddlers, children, and teenagers) had exceeded the limitation, implying that they are at the risk of exposure to DEHP through dust ingestion.

Prenatal maternal phthalate exposures and child lipid and adipokine levels at age six: A study from the PROGRESS cohort of Mexico City

BackgroundPrenatal phthalate exposures may affect processes that underlie offspring cardiometabolic health, but findings from studies examining these associations are conflicting. We examined associations between biomarkers of phthalate exposures during pregnancy with child lipid and adipokine levels. MethodsData were from 463 mother-child pairs in the PROGRESS cohort of Mexico City. We quantified 15 phthalate metabolites in 2nd and 3rd trimester maternal urine samples and created an average pregnancy measure using the geometric mean. We evaluated the 15 metabolites as nine biomarkers, including four metabolite molar sums. We measured fasting serum triglycerides, non-HDL cholesterol, leptin, and adiponectin in children at the six-year follow-up visit (mean = 6.8 years). We estimated associations using linear regression, Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR), and weighted quantile sum (WQS) and assessed effect modification by sex. ResultsIn BKMR and WQS models, higher concentrations of the total mixture of phthalate biomarkers were associated with lower triglycerides (β = −3.7% [-6.5, −0.78] per 1 unit increase in WQS biomarker index) and non-HDL cholesterol (β = −2.0 [-3.7, −0.25] ng/ml per increase in WQS biomarker index). Associations between individual biomarkers and child outcomes were largely null. We observed some evidence of effect modification by child sex for mono-3-carboxypropyl phthalate (β = 19.4% [1.26, 40.7] per doubling of phthalate) and monobenzyl phthalate (β = −7.6% [-14.4, -0.23]) in girls for adiponectin. ConclusionsIndividual prenatal phthalate biomarkers were not associated with child lipid or adipokine levels. Contrary to our hypothesis, the total phthalate mixture was associated with lower child triglycerides and non-HDL cholesterol.

Infantile phthalate metabolism and toxico/pharmacokinetic implications within the first year of life

BackgroundInfantile development of phthalate metabolism is crucial for risk assessment of endocrine disruption and has important toxico/pharmacokinetic implications. ObjectivesTo characterize temporal variability in urinary phthalate metabolites in infants and to examine their growth-dependent detoxification. MethodsIn this cohort study, urine samples (n = 876) from 155 healthy Chinese infants were collected serially at eight time points from birth to one year old. Free and total (i.e., free plus glucuronide conjugated) phthalate metabolites (PMEs) were measured by LC/MS/MS. Time variability in PMEs and PME metabolism capacity was characterized using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and linear mixed regression models. ResultsConcentrations of most PMEs changed significantly, with ICCs ranging from 0.213 to 0.318, and trends increased significantly over time (p < 0.001), while MEHP showed fair reproducibility (ICC = 0.480). Glucuronidation increased considerably (ICC ≤ 0.250; p < 0.001) for most PMEs but not for MMP or MEHP. Ester-chain ω-/ω-1-oxidation and α-/β-oxidation patterns of MEHP steeply increased from 3 months to 8 months, where they peaked, resulting in a molar percentage of MEHP in ΣDEHP showing the inversion pattern. MEHP detoxification through oxidation of the hydrophobic ester-chain is apparently a priority for carboxyl glucuronidation in infants. ConclusionsInfant phthalate exposure is prevalent, but they cannot metabolize or eliminate these compounds as efficiently as adults, especially during the first 6 months of life. From an environmental biomonitoring view, age-dependent phthalate metabolism provides crucial implications for infantile ontogeny and health risk assessment within the first year of life.

Development of a sensitive method for the analysis of four phthalates in tea samples: Tea bag contribution to the total amount in tea infusion

ABSTRACT A sensitive, precise and selective method for the analysis of butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), and dimethyl phthalate (DMP) in tea samples has been applied. Molecularly Imprinted Polymer-Solid Phase Extraction (MIP-SPE) has been used for the separation and preconcentration of these compounds. Phthalates extracted by SPE were analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionisation-mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS). The method was sensitive (LOD < 2 µg L−1), precise (RSD <10%) and accurate with recovery percentages ranging from 84% to 97%. Finally, the developed method was applied for the analysis of these phthalates in several tea samples marketed in bags. Migration studies were also performed to evaluate the concentration of phthalates released from the bags into the infusions, and teabag filters were analysed by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The migration study shows that tea filter bags contribute to the total phthalates concentration in tea infusion, and this contribution varies between 1.8 to 93.5 % of the total phthalates’ concentrations. Tea filter bags release higher DBP than BBP, DMP, and DEP.

Plastic-derived contaminants in Aleutian Archipelago seabirds with varied foraging strategies

Phthalates, plastic-derived contaminants, are of increasing global concern. This study quantified phthalates in seabirds collected across >1700 km of the Aleutian Islands, Alaska, and contributes to a body of knowledge on plastic contaminants in marine wildlife. We measured six phthalate congeners in seabirds representing ten species and four feeding guilds. Phthalates were detected in 100% of specimens (n = 115), but varied among individuals (3.64–539.64 ng/g). DEHP and DBP occurred at an order of magnitude higher than other congeners. Total phthalates did not vary geographically, but differed among feeding guilds, with significantly higher concentrations in diving plankton-feeders compared to others. Plastic particles were detected in 36.5% of randomly subsampled seabird stomachs (n = 74), suggesting plastic ingestion as a potential route of phthalate exposure. Our findings suggest feeding behavior could influence exposure risk for seabirds and lend further evidence to the ubiquity of plastic pollutants in marine ecosystems.

Correlation between urinary phthalate concentration and semen quality parameters

Objective To explore the correlation between urinary phthalate concentration and semen quality parameters. Methods A total of 112 males with infertility in our hospital were set as infertility group. Another 65 healthy males who had given birth during the same period in our hospital were selected as control group. The semen samples obtained by urine and masturbation were collected in all the subjects. The semen quality parameters were detected by automatic color sperm quality detection system, and the concentrations of dimethyl phthalate (DMP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and Di 2-Ethyl Hexyl Phthalate (DEHP) in urine were measured by high performance liquid chromatography, and the correlation between concentrations of four phthalates and semen quality parameters was analyzed by spearman correlation coefficient. Results The concentrations of DMP, DEP, DBP, DEHP and total phthalate in infertility group were significantly higher than those in control group (P<0.05). The sperm density, sperm survival rate and ratios of a+ b level sperm and forward movement in infertility group were significantly lower than those in control group (P<0.05), and the ratio of abnormal sperm was significantly higher than that in control group (P<0.05). The concentrations of DMP, DEP, DBP and DEHP in urine were negatively correlated with sperm density, sperm survival rate and ratios of a+ b level sperm and forward movement (P<0.05), and were positively correlated with abnormal sperm ratio (P<0.05). Conclusions The concentration of phthalate is high in urine of infertile males, and its concentration is negatively correlated with semen quality. Phthalate accumulation may be one of the important reasons for male infertility. Key words: Urinalysis; Phthalate; Semen analysis; Infertility, male

Phthalate metabolites concentrations in amniotic fluid and maternal urine: Cumulative exposure and risk assessment

Phthalates are used in industry as plasticizers or additives in everyday products and they have been considered as endocrine disrupting chemicals. Maternal exposure during pregnancy has been associated with neonatal exposure, preterm birth and impacts in the reproductive and respiratory systems. The aim of this study is to determine six phthalate metabolites (mono isobutyl phthalate, miBP, mono n-butyl phthalate, mnBP, mono benzyl phthalate, mBzP, mono ethylhexyl phthalate, mEHP, mono 2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl phthalate, mEHHP, mono 2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl-phthalate, mEOHP) in amniotic fluid and urine from 100 pregnant women. Participants answered questionnaires for the use of plastics and cosmetics, dietary habits, health effects, pregnancy problems, health and infant development. Positive amniotic fluid samples ranged from 1% to 21% and urine from 27% to 54%. The median levels for amniotic fluid were 2.3 μg/L - 10.7 μg/L and for urine 4.9 μg/L - 46.7 μg/L. The major results include significant correlations between urinary phthalates indicating their common sources of exposure, the frequent use of deodorant was significantly associated with higher urinary miBP (p = 0.050) and mnBP (p = 0.028) and a weak inverse association was found for the use of make-up products with mBzP (p = 0.053). The frequent use of plastic food containers was significantly associated with urinary mEHP (p = 0.026), and a positive trend was noticed for mEHP in amniotic fluid (p = 0.093). An association although weak was found between urinary mEHP and lower birth length (rs = 0.396, p = 0.062). No other associations were found for infant health problems or development. The daily intake of the total phthalates was calculated 5.4 μg/kg body weight/day which corresponds to hazard index 0.10 and exposure follows the declining trend that has been observed the last decades.

Pollutants delivered every day: Phthalates in plastic express packaging bags and their leaching potential

The rapid development of the express industry brings not only convenience but also environmental problems such as plastic wastes. In this study, we collected plastic express packaging bags from major express companies in China to investigate phthalates in them. Infrared spectra indicated that all these samples were made from polyethylene but with different carbonyl index (CI) values. Total phthalates (∑Phthalates) concentrations in these samples ranged from 11.16 to 309.70 μg g−1. Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, di-n-butyl phthalate, and di-isobutyl phthalate were predominant phthalates. The leaching amounts of ∑Phthalates after 48 h ranged from 181.44 to 5320.64 ng g−1. The leaching amounts of ∑Phthalates significantly positively related to ∑Phthalates concentrations of samples, while the leaching ratios presented opposite trends. Concentrations and leaching amounts of ∑Phthalates and major phthalates were significantly higher in samples from high CI value company group than those from low CI value company group. The results of our study indicate that plastic express packaging bags could be a critical source of phthalates. The involving of recycled plastics during the manufacture of plastic express packaging bags may influence the content and composition of phthalates in them and also increase the releasing risk of phthalates.

PM2.5 bound phthalates in four metropolitan cities of China: Concentration, seasonal pattern and health risk via inhalation

Phthalates (PAEs) are in a group of artificial chemicals with potential adverse effects to human health and they can be frequently detected in environmental matrices due to its extensive usage. However, seasonal patterns of concentrations in atmosphere and risks posed by PAEs in airborne PM2.5 to Chinese population have not been well characterized. During the period of November 2015 to March 2017, samples of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) were collected in four cities of Guangzhou, Shanghai, Beijing and Harbin, which are major metropolitan areas of various latitudes of China. Concentrations of fourteen PAEs in airborne PM2.5 were quantified using Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Estimated daily intakes (EDIs), hazard quotients (HQs) and hazard index (HI) were calculated. Lifetime average daily doses (LADD) and incremental lifetime cancer risks (ILCR) of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) for four age groups, which divide with infant, toddler, adolescent and adult, by inhalation route were evaluated. Dimethyl phthalate (DMP), Diethyl phthalate (DEP), Di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP), and DEHP were the four major PAEs contaminants in these PM2.5 samples. The sum concentrations of DMP, DEP, DBP and DEHP in Guangzhou, Shanghai, Beijing and Harbin ranged from 32.5–76.1, 10.1–101, 8.02–107 and 13.5–622 ng/m3, with mean concentrations of 59.1, 50.8, 43.8 and 136 ng/m3, respectively. The concentration of total PAEs in PM2.5 from higher latitudes city (Harbin) was higher than those from lower latitudes cities (Guangzhou and Shanghai). Total concentrations of PAEs were significantly higher during warmer seasons than those during colder seasons among the four cities. Although the EDIs, HQs, and HI for all age groups were less than the threshold set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) and European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the highest values of 70-years ILCR from Shanghai and Harbin were 1.2 × 10−6 and 1.3 × 10−6, which were slightly beyond the acceptable level of 10−6. These findings reveal that the cancer risks of DEHP bound to PM2.5 in these two cites should be of particular concern.

Oral intake exposure to phthalates in vegetables produced in plastic greenhouses and its health burden in Shaanxi province, China

Phthalate exposure from Vegetables grown in Plastic Greenhouses (VPGs) represents an important source of total daily phthalate exposure in China. However, quantified health risks of phthalates attributable to VPG intake have not been documented. To fill this gap, this study estimates phthalate exposure from VPG intake in western China and calculates the first assessment of the disease burden associated with phthalate exposure from VPG intake in China based on a simple steady-state exposure model and a linear dose-response function between human bio-monitoring phthalates and Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) prevalence. What we present in this paper is a problem identification and screening level risk assessment. We chose Shaanxi province as the research field site due to its large contribution to the total vegetable yield and consumption in western China. Phthalate concentration in VPG samples, phthalate exposure levels from VPG intake, and the T2D burden caused by phthalate attributable to VPG intake for adults were measured or calculated. Di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) was found to represent over 55% of the total phthalate concentration in VPGs, followed by di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP) and di-isobutyl phthalate (DiBP). Phthalate exposure from VPG intake for urban adults was higher than the level for rural adults. The share of DEHP exposure from VPG intake to urinary total DEHP metabolites were nearly 8% and 15%, and the share of DnBP exposure caused by VPG intake to total daily DnBP metabolites were nearly 4% and 7%, for rural and urban adult populations in Shaanxi, respectively. The adult population with T2D attributable to phthalate exposure from VPG intake was 2561, nearly 6.4% to the T2D burden attributable to total phthalate exposure, and 0.4% to the total adult population with T2D in Shaanxi. The authors recommend policy interventions to protect populations from future risk of phthalate exposure.

Determination of phthalates in particulate matter and gaseous phase emitted into the air of the working environment

The paper presents the results of phthalates measurements in 4 companies producing or processing materials made of rubber and plastics. Six priority phthalates were determined in air samples both in the respirable and inhalable particle fractions. For the determination of phthalates, GC/MS was applied, which ensures the determination of the method at the level of 0.066 µg/m3 for fibreglass filter and polyurethane foam and 0.022 µg/m3 for Amberlite resin XAD-2, while taking 720 L of air samples. The results of the measurements showed that dimethyl phthalate, diethyl phthalate and dibutyl phthalate (DBP) dominated in all the investigated companies in the gaseous phase of air sampling. For example, in a company producing rubber details for car accessories, the concentration of DBP ranged from 54 to 74% of the total phthalate concentration determined in the gaseous phase. The inhalable particle fraction was dominated by two compounds, i.e. DBP and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate DEHP, and their total concentration was a significant percentage, on average over 83% of the sum of all phthalates determined in the inhalable fraction in the investigated companies. As particle size affects the location of phthalate deposition in the respiratory tract, the determination of concentration levels of individual phthalates in the gaseous phase and in inhalable and respirable fractions can provide valuable information that can be used to improve the health and safety of workers at work.

Phthalates in infant cotton clothing: Occurrence and implications for human exposure

Clothing easily adsorbed the chemicals in the environment, and became a source of human exposure to chemicals. However, large contacted surface area and long exposure duration have elevated human exposure to chemicals from clothing, such as phthalates. Among them, cotton clothing, which infants prefer to wear, has been proven to adsorb phthalates more easily than other fabrics. While infants are developing, they are easily affected by phthalates. In this study, in order to study accumulation of phthalates in infant cotton clothing during the whole process from production to the first wearing, 24 infant cotton clothing samples were collected from shopping malls in Harbin, China. High detection rates and concentrations suggest that phthalates in the environment are widely adsorbed to infant cotton clothing, and traditional laundering for infant clothing cannot remove phthalates completely. The median concentration of the total phthalates was 4.15 μg/g. Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) has become the dominant phthalate. For the estimated daily intakes (EDIs) for infants, dibutyl phthalate (DBP) had the highest contribution, followed by di-iso-butyl phthalate (DiBP) and DEHP. Dermal absorption has become the main route of infant exposure to phthalates, and ingestion contributed very little. The result of comparing with the EDIs via dermal absorption from house air and dust suggests that clothing plays an important role of dermal absorption exposure to phthalates. For risk assessment, the carcinogenic risk of BBP and DEHP indicates that the level of DEHP in infant cotton clothing might pose potential adverse effects to infant health.

Variations of phthalate exposure and metabolism over three trimesters

Maternal exposure to phthalates may cause some adverse health effects on both mother and fetus, but variations of phthalate exposure and metabolism during pregnancy have not been thoroughly characterized. A total of 946 participants were selected from a cohort study conducted in Wuhan between 2014 and 2015 through which they had provided a complete set of urine samples at three trimesters. Eight phthalate metabolites were analyzed in 2838 urine samples. Based on urinary concentrations, various parameters (i.e. phthalate metabolite concentrations, ratios of metabolites of bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) in DEHP, and percentages of individual metabolites in total phthalates) were compared over three visits. We observed that levels of phthalate metabolites showed a U-shaped trend across three trimesters. The significant variations in the ratios of DEHP metabolites indicated that the efficiency in metabolizing DEHP declined during pregnancy and less recent exposure occurred in mid-pregnancy. The changes of percentages of individual compound in total phthalates suggested the inconsistent pattern over trimesters. This longitudinal study found that the exposure pattern, exposure timing and metabolic susceptibility varied by trimesters, which suggests that urine samples should be collected at multiple time points and mothers should be especially careful in the early pregnancy.

Health risk of phthalates in water environment: Occurrence in water resources, bottled water, and tap water, and burden of disease from exposure through drinking water in tehran, Iran

Occurrence of phthalates in water resources, bottled water, and tap water, and health risk of exposure to the phthalates through drinking water in Tehran, Iran, 2018 were studied. The six phthalates with the most health and environmental concerns, including di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), dimethyl phthalate (DMP), and di-n-octyl phthalate (DNOP) were monitored in drinking water and water resources. The average levels (±standard deviation: SD) of the total phthalates in drinking water from the water distribution system, bottled water, surface waters, and ground waters were determined to be 0.76 ± 0.19, 0.96 ± 0.10, 1.06 ± 0.23, and 0.77 ± 0.06 μg/L, respectively. The dominant compounds in the phthalates were DMP and DEHP causing a contribution to the total phthalate levels higher than 60% in all the water sources. The phthalate levels of drinking water significantly increased by contact of hot water with disposable plastic and paper cups and by sunlight exposure of bottled water (p value < 0.05). The hazard quotients (HQs) of DEHP, BBP, DBP, and DEP for all ages both sexes combined were determined to be 1.56 × 10−4, 1.01 × 10−5, 1.80 × 10−5, and 1.29 × 10−6, respectively that were much lower than the boundary value of 1.0. The disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) and DALY rate (per 100,000 people) attributable to DEHP intake through drinking water for all ages both sexes combined were estimated to be 6.385 (uncertainty interval: UI 95% 1.892 to 22.133), and 0.073 (0.022–0.255), respectively. The proportion of mortality in the attributable DALYs was over 96%. The attributable DALY rate exhibited no significant difference by sex, but was considerably affected by age in a manner that the DALY rates ranged from 0.052 (0.015–0.175) in the age group 65 y plus to 0.099 (0.026–0.304) in the age group 5 to 9 y. Both the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risks of the phthalates in drinking water were considered to be very low. The results can also be of importance in terms of developing frameworks to expand the domain of burden of disease study to the other environmental risks.

Phthalates in residential and agricultural soils from an electronic waste-polluted region in South China: distribution, compositional profile and sources.

Electronic waste (e-waste) recycling has proven to be a significant source of phthalate (PAE) contamination in the environment. A detailed investigation was conducted to understand the concentration, distribution, profile and possible source of PAEs in residential and agricultural soils from Guiyu, Shantou, China, the largest e-waste processing and recycling areas in the world. Sixteen PAEs were analysed in 46 surface soil samples from three different sampling areas in terms of individual and total concentrations, together with pH and soil organic matter. High concentrations of the total PAEs were found in residential area A (more than 20,000ngg-1), revealing a clear urban pulse, whereas in residential area B and agricultural areas, concentrations were lower than 10,000ngg-1. The dominant PAEs were bis (2-nbutoxyethyl) phthalate, bis (4-methyl-2-pentyl) phthalate and dicyclohexyl phthalate. These PAEs were high-molecular weight PAEs (alkyl chains ≥ 6 carbons) and mainly derived from polyvinyl chloride commonly used in electrical and electronic equipment, indicating a distinctive composition in relation to the e-waste area. Three individual and the total PAEs exhibited significant positive correlations with pH. Principal component analysis indicated that PAEs were mainly distributed in three groups according to the alkyl chain length and potential source. This study showed that the informal e-waste recycling has already introduced PAEs into surrounding areas as a pollutant which should draw more attention and regulatory control.

Several environmental endocrine disruptors in beverages from South China: occurrence and human exposure.

Environmental endocrine disruptors (EEDs) in beverages may enter the human body by ingestion and thus may represent a potential health risk. In this study, phthalates, bisphenol A, and its analogues, parabens, benzophenone-type UV filters, and triclosan (TCS) were analyzed in beverage samples (n = 116) collected from local markets in Guangzhou, South China. Twelve of 30 target compounds were found in > 50% samples, and for the first time, TCS was found in a majority of beverages from China (~ 80%). Among all analytes, concentrations of total phthalates (median = 14.4ng/mL) were generally two orders of magnitude higher than other target EEDs, and concentrations of total benzophenone-type UV filters (0.02ng/mL) and TCS (0.01ng/mL) were the lowest. Among all targets, phthalates were predominant, accounting for > 99% of the total EEDs, and dimethyl phthalate was frequently detected in beverages (> 60%). In addition, we estimated the daily intake (EDI) of EEDs for Chinese populations of different age groups based on the daily consumption of beverages. The EDIs of total EEDs were the highest for toddlers (mean = 14,200ng/kg-bw/day) followed by children and teenagers (3420ng/kg-bw/day), adults (1950ng/kg-bw/day), the elderly (1740ng/kg-bw/day), and infants (70ng/kg-bw/day). Compared to all food categories, EEDs from beverage consumption accounted for ~ 0.1% (parabens) to 20% (phthalates) of total exposure from diet. However, intakes of phthalates, bisphenols, and TCS from beverages were comparable to those from other potential sources (food, dust, personal care products, cloth, and medicines). Furthermore, the cumulative risks of EEDs by beverage consumption were not high, which indicated that EEDs in beverages might not represent a potential human health risk for Chinese populations.

Assessment of estrogenic compounds in paperboard for dry food packaging with the ERE-CALUX bioassay

Paperboard used as packaging, a non-inert material, can transfer chemicals into food. Over the years, endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs), such as NonylPhenols (NPs), BisPhenol A (BPA) and phthalates have been shown to migrate from packaging materials into food. Due to chronic exposure and mixture effects of these EDCs, they could cause health effects even at very low doses. Many EDCs are still unknown and many more are still unregulated. The ERE-CALUX bioassay was used as a bioanalytical tool to investigate estrogenic activities of paperboard food packaging and its characteristics, including recycling rate and printing ink. A “worst case” scenario with full extraction is compared to a dry food migration experiment. By measuring an overall estrogenic activity, known and unknown estrogenic chemicals and mixture effects are taken into account and the data are compared to molecule specific analysis. Estrogenic activities ranged from 682 ± 66 pg E2 eq./dm2 to 3250 ± 400 pg E2 eq./dm2 for “worst case” extraction and from 347 ± 30 pg E2 eq./dm2 to 1350 ± 70 pg E2 eq./dm2 for migration experiments. A two-factor ANOVA revealed a relationship between estrogenic activity and the recycling rate of the paperboard, but no significant difference with printing ink was observed for these paperboard samples. Bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP) and 1,2-cyclohexane dicarboxylic acid diisononyl ester (DINCH) were determined in all extraction and migrations experiment samples. A Spearman rank correlation analysis showed a relationship between the estrogenic activity and the total phthalates as well as with each compound individually.

Environmental distribution and ecotoxicological concerns of phthalic acid esters in creek ecosystem

The long-term ecological risk of synthetic organic contaminants, exclusively endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) such as phthalates has threatened reclaimed seawater quality in marine environment. In this study, environmental distributions of 14 phthalic acid esters (PAEs) in seawater, and biota (fish and crab) across Thane Creek, Mumbai India is reported. Identification and quantifications of phthalates in environmental matrices was carried out using GC-MS technique. Abundance of phthalates in each matrix was discussed and compared with literature value. Total phthalate esters concentrations in seawaters, fish and crab samples were found to be 104.8 ± 37.8 μg L−1, 113 ± 36.4 μg g−1 and 155 ± 38 μg g−1 (dry weight) respectively. Di-n-butylphthalate (DBP) was most abundant compound among analyzed PAEs in all tested aquatic media. In situ bio-concentration factors (BCFs) were calculated for all monitored phthalates in fish and crabs and compared with log Kow values. Risk quotient and estradiol equivalent concentration were also calculated to evaluate ecological risk and estrogenic potential of seawater in terms of DBP and di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate. The average values of total PAEs daily intake were calculated as 58.1 ± 13.6 and 79.6 ± 19.6 (µg kg–1-bw/day) for fish and crab respectively in an adult population.

Indoor phthalates from household dust in Qatar: implications for non-dietary human exposure.

Phthalates are ubiquitous semi-volatile organic compounds in the indoor environment present in various consumer products such as cosmetics, polyvinylchloride (PVC) flooring, food packing, and many others. Indoor phthalate concentrations were investigated in 15 buildings including 11 homes, 3 laboratories, and 1 from a hospital in Qatar. Dust samples were collected from vacuum cleaning bags usually used for cleaning homes, labs, and hospitals. The main objectives of this study was to determine the occurrence and concentration of phthalates in dust in Qatar and consequently to estimate the non-dietary human exposure. Eleven phthalates was analyzed. The major identified phthalate compounds at homes in Qatar were bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate unlabeled (DEHP) and diisononyl phthalate (DINP) at a geometric mean of 288μg/g (median 395μg/g) and 106μg/g (median 101μg/g) accounting for 57% and 23% of the total measured phthalates, respectively. The major phthalate compounds found in the first lab building were DEHP and DINP with a median of 4861μg/g and 943μg/g, respectively, accounting for 82% and 16% of the total phthalates. For the second lab building, the major phthalates were DEHP with a median of 466μg/g, accounting for 20% of the total phthalates measured, and DINP median of 1725μg/g, accounting for 71% of the total measured phthalates. The dust sample tested from hospital building had DEHP as the major phthalate compound with a median of 793μg/g, accounting for 4.0% of the total measured phthalates, and DINP with a median of 19,626μg/g, accounting for 94%. The estimated human non-dietary exposure for children, adults, and toddlers was based on phthalate concentrations (median) and found to be 225ng/kg bw/day for children, 2328ng/kg bw/day for adults, and 2099ng/kg bw/day for toddlers.

Characterization and flux assessment of airborne phthalates released from polyvinyl chloride consumer goods

The concentrations and fluxes of airborne phthalates were measured from five types of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) consumer products (vinyl flooring, wallcovering, child's toy, yoga mat, and edge protector) using a small chamber (impinger) system. Airborne phthalates released from each of those PVC samples were collected using sorbent (Tenax TA) tubes at three temperature control intervals (0, 3, and 6 h) under varying temperature conditions (25, 40, and 90 °C). A total of 11 phthalate compounds were quantified in the five PVC products examined in this study. To facilitate the comparison of phthalate emissions among PVC samples, their flux values were defined for total phthalates by summing the average fluxes of all 11 phthalates generated during the control period of 6 h. The highest flux values were seen in the edge protector sample at all temperatures (0.40 (25 °C), 9.65 (40 °C), and 75.7 μg m−2 h−1 (90 °C)) of which emission was dominated by dibutyl isophthalate. In contrast, the lowest fluxes were found in wallcovering (0.01 (25 °C) and 0.05 μg m−2 h−1 (40 °C)) and child's toy (0.23 μg m−2 h−1 (90 °C)) at each temperature level. The information regarding phthalate composition and emission patterns varied dynamically with type of PVC sample, controlled temperature, and duration of control.