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Phthalate esters (PE), a significant class of organic compounds used in industry, can contaminate humans and animals by entering water and food chains. Recent studies demonstrate the influence of PE on the development and progression of heart diseases, particularly in obese people. Di-isobutyl phthalate (DIBP) was administered orally to normal and diet-induced obese mice in this research to assess cardiovascular risk. The modifications in the microbial composition and metabolites were examined using RNA sequencing and mass spectrometry analysis. Based on the findings, lean group rodents were less susceptible to DIBP exposure than fat mice because of their cardiovascular systems. Histopathology examinations of mice fed a high-fat diet revealed lesions and plagues that suggested a cardiovascular risk. In the chronic DIBP microbial remodeling metagenomics Faecalibaculum rodentium was the predominant genera in obese mice. According to metabolomics data, arachidonic acid (AA) metabolism changes caused by DIBP were linked to unfavorable cardiovascular events. Our research offers new understandings of the cardiovascular damage caused by DIBP exposure in obese people and raises the possibility that arachidonic acid metabolism could be used as a regulator of the gut microbiota to avert related diseases.

As a group of typical endocrine disrupters, phthalates are simultaneously present in a variety of environmental media and enter human body through multiple exposure pathways. In this study, field monitoring data were used to characterize the skin‐air (Klg), dust‐air (Kd), and PM2.5‐air (Kp) partition coefficients of DiBP, DnBP, and DEHP. The median values of log(Klg) in the summer and winter were 7.654 and 7.932, 7.265 and 7.902, 9.419 and 9.015 for DiBP, DnBP, and DEHP, respectively, and Klg was significantly higher in the winter. The median Kd (m3/mg) in the summer (0.036–0.151 for DiBP, 0.021–0.036 for DnBP and 1.479–4.069 for DEHP) were significantly higher than the counterparts in the winter (0.027–0.065 for DiBP, 0.022–0.245 for DnBP, and 0.140–3.250 for DEHP). In addition, Kd was associated with material of surface and residence time of dust. The Kp values (m3/μg) of DiBP, DnBP, and DEHP in the summer (0.053, 0.015, and 0.021) were also significantly higher than the counterparts in the winter (0.011, 0.004, and 0.025). The partition of phthalates was influenced by built environment, such as temperature, humidity, ventilation, indoor chemistry, smoking, and building age. Except Klg, there was substantial discrepancy between the estimates of K with empirical equations and the values of K based on field monitoring data in our study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bisphenol A (BPA) and diisobuthylphthalate (DIBP) have found wide applications as plasticizers; however, they are covalently bonded to materials and are subsequently leached into the environment. Methods: This study evaluated the effects of BPA, DIBP and mixtures of BPA and DIBP on the antioxidant enzymes [superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD)] activities using standard methods and DNA profile of earthworm (Hyperiodrilus africanus) using randomly amplified polymerase chain reaction (RAPD-PCR) method. A total of 2 kg soil samples collected from FADAMA Farm, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta were spiked to obtain 1, 2.5, 5 and 10 ppm of BPA, DIBP and mixtures of BPA and DIBP. Earthworms were exposed to the unpolluted and spiked soil samples and were collected on the 7th and 14th day for SOD, POD and DNA analysis. Results: SOD activity was more pronounced at 5 and 10 ppm concentrations. POD activity was increased in all concentrations, including the control, meanwhile POD activity induced by BPA and DIBP was significantly higher (p

Phthalic acid esters (PAEs) commonly used as plasticizers are distributed ubiquitously in the living environment. We conducted a field study to examine the associations between PAE residue in dust and home characteristics/living habits in 47 rural homes in Taiwan. A questionnaire regarding home characteristics/living habits and composite sampling of house dust were conducted in each participating home. Five PAEs were selected for analysis on gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with the limits of quantification being 0.5 ng/g or lower. Uni- and multivariate linear regression analyses were performed for examining the associations. The five PAEs were prevalently detected from the samples, and the concentrations were below 1000 ng/g; di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) was the most frequently detected PAE (85%), whereas di-isobutyl phthalate (DiBP) appeared to the most abundant congener with the maximum concentration of 807.65 ng/g. Floor cleaning frequency and use of detergents for floor cleaning were significantly associated with DEHP in dust (P < 0.05), suggesting additives of plasticizers in detergent products. The factors of plastic wraps in storage and use of disposable cups were both significantly related to DiBP (P < 0.01), which could be extensively used in food packaging products. We confirmed that several home characteristics/living habits were related to certain PAE residue in dust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, one hundred and twenty-eight toys and children's care items available in the Kosovo market were analyzed to determine the presence of phthalates and evaluate if the analyzed samples meet the national and EU standards. Toys and children's care items were imported from twelve countries, most of them from China. Phthalates were extracted and then analyzed using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. Nine phthalates were analyzed in total, of them, benzyl butyl phthalate, di-isodecyl phthalate, diisobutyl phthalate and di-isononyl phthalate were the most frequently detected phthalates in the analyzed samples. Phthalates were not detected only in three toys and children's care items, others contained one or more phthalates, while none of them contained all (nine) analyzed phthalates. In total, 22 analyzed toys and children's care items did not fulfill at least one of the EU standards, of these 16 were toys and children's care items intended for children under age three and designed to be placed in the mouth. Overall, our work shows that toys and children's care items that exceed EU standards for phthalates are still present in the Kosovo market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Archives of Veterinary Medicine / Arhiv Veterinarske Medicine is the property of Scientific Veterinary Institute Novi Sad and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Phthalate esters (PE), a significant class of organic compounds used in industry, can contaminate humans and animals by entering water and food chains. Recent studies demonstrate the influence of PE on the development and progression of heart diseases, particularly in obese people. Di-isobutyl phthalate (DIBP) was administered orally to normal and diet-induced obese mice in this research to assess cardiovascular risk. The modifications in the microbial composition and metabolites were examined using RNA sequencing and mass spectrometry analysis. Based on the findings, lean group rodents were less susceptible to DIBP exposure than fat mice because of their cardiovascular systems. Histopathology examinations of mice fed a high-fat diet revealed lesions and plagues that suggested a cardiovascular risk. In the chronic DIBP microbial remodeling metagenomics Faecalibaculum rodentium was the predominant genera in obese mice. According to metabolomics data, arachidonic acid (AA) metabolism changes caused by DIBP were linked to unfavorable cardiovascular events. Our research offers new understandings of the cardiovascular damage caused by DIBP exposure in obese people and raises the possibility that arachidonic acid metabolism could be used as a regulator of the gut microbiota to avert related diseases., Competing Interests: The authors compete no conflict of interest., (© 2024 The Japanese Society for Regenerative Medicine. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V.)

Ubiquitous occurrences of phthalic acid esters (PAEs) or phthalates in a variety of consumer products have been demonstrated. Nevertheless, studies on their occurrence in various types of bottled drinks are limited. In this study, fifteen PAEs were analyzed in six categories of bottled drinks (n = 105) collected from the Chinese market, including mineral water, tea drinks, energy drinks, juice drinks, soft drinks, and beer. Among the 15 PAEs measured, DEHP was the most abundant phthalate with concentrations ranging from below the limit of quantification (LOQ) to 41,000 ng/L at a detection rate (DR) of 96%, followed by DIBP (DR: 88%) and DBP (DR: 84%) with respective concentration ranges of below LOQ to 16,000 and to 4900 ng/L. At least one PAE was detected in each drink sample, and the sum concentrations of 15 PAEs ranged from 770 to 48,004 ng/L (median: 6286 ng/L). Significant differences with respect to both PAE concentrations and composition profiles were observed between different types of bottled drinks. The median sum concentration of 15 PAEs in soft drinks was over five times higher than that detected in mineral water; different from other drink types. Besides DEHP, DBIP, and DBP, a high concentration of BMEP was also detected in a tea drink. The estimated daily dietary intake of phthalates (EDIdrink) through the consumption of bottled drinks was calculated based on the concentrations measured and the daily ingestion rates of bottled drink items. The EDIdrink values for DMP, DEP, DIBP, DBP, BMEP, DAP, BEEP, BBP, DCP, DHP, BMPP, BBEP, DEHP, DOP, and DNP through the consumption of bottled mineral water (based on mean concentrations) were 0.45, 0.33, 12.5, 3.67, 2.10, 0.06, 0.32, 0.16, 0.10, 0.09, 0.05, 0.81, 112, 0.13, and 0.20 ng/kg-bw/d, respectively, for Chinese adults. Overall, the EDIdrink values calculated for phthalates through the consumption of bottled drinks were below the oral reference doses suggested by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA).

This research note announces and briefly describes a new five-year project to prepare a census bibliography of the first ten editions of Grotus's De iure belli ac pacis (IBP). The resulting book will be published in 2025, the 400th anniversary of IBP's first appearance. The project is sponsored by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft and hosted by the Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law in Heidelberg. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Mycosystema is the property of Mycosystema Editorial Board and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Determination of phthalates from bottled water by GC-MS. Phthalates are ubiquitous pollutants in the environment, due to their widespread use in the last years. These compounds are used principally as plasticizers, to impact flexibility, workability and durability to polymers but they can also be found in products such as paints, adhesives, inks and cosmetics. Phthalates are not chemically bounded to polymers; hence they are easily released and migrate into foods, beverages and drinking water from the packaging or bottling materials or manufacturing processes. This process accelerates as plastic products age and break down. With respect to their endocrine disrupting potential, phthalates such as benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP), di-butyl phthalate (DBP) and di-isobutyl phthalate (DIBP) have been found to elicit estrogenic responses in in vitro assays. It is possible that phthalates are a contributory factor to endocrine-mediated adverse effects observed in wildlife and humans over the past few decades. In this experiment we have analyzed the phthalates from different bottled waters purchased from the market. Determination by gas chromatography in combination with mass spectrometry detector (GC–MS) in electronic ionization mode (EI) with selected-ion monitoring (SIM) acquisition method (GC–MS (EI–SIM)) has been carried out. Methods have been developed for both qualitative and quantitative analysis of phthalates. The base peak (m/z = 149) of all the phthalates was selected for the screening studies. The characteristic ions of each compound were chosen for quantitative studies.

In the light of current literature on the subject and legal acts that classify phthalates as a group of endocrine-disrupting chemicals, it is crucial to accurately assess their combined effect, because the disruption of endocrine homeostasis can lead to multi-directional implications causing disorders of the efficiency and functions of the body, and combined exposure to phthalates is common. The possibility of interactions between them during exposition to their mixtures is also extremely important. The aim of the study was to evaluate the cytotoxic effect of two phthalates: dibutyl and diisobutyl (which are structural isomers) on cells derived from the human respiratory system (A549) and human skin (A431) in vitro, and then to evaluate the interactions between the tested phthalates with the combined exposure of both types of cells to their equimolar (1:1) and non-molar mixtures, in which 1:3 and 3:1 ratios were used. Comparing the IC 50 values determined for equimolar mixtures of DBP and DIBP (1:1) with the theoretical values, calculated on the basis of the IC 50 values of each tested compound applied individually to cells, an antagonism of the cytotoxic effect in terms of cell metabolic activity and integrity of cell membranes were observed on A549 cells, while on A431 cells an equimolar mixture of the tested compounds showed a synergistic effect in terms of cytotoxicity assessed by the MTT test, while in the NRU test the differences between the obtained IC 50 values and the calculated theoretical values were not statistically significant. In the combined exposure to equitoxic (1:1) mixtures of the tested compounds, antagonism of the cytotoxic effect regarding the ability of cells to proliferate was observed when both A549 and A431 cells were exposed to the lower of the concentrations tested, which was reflected in the calculated Synergy Index (SI) values. Taking into consideration that the results of cells co-exposure to chemicals can differ significantly from single exposure pattern of toxicity, it is essential to the take effects of co-exposure into account when performing the risk assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Food contact materials (FCM) containing phthalates can be a source of food contamination when used in plastics for food production equipment, in utensils for food contact and in packaging. Since 2008 several of the phthalates used for FCM were regulated in the EU; some of them because they were well-known endocrine disruptors. Results of the Danish Food Authorities control in 2008 and 2009 showed 23 % non-compliant samples. Critical FCMs turned out to be those made from plasticised PVC and sold as suitable for contact with fatty foodstuffs. Targeted follow up control campaigns were therefore arranged by the Danish food authorities (latest in 2013) and by the Nordic food authorities in a common campaign in 2014. Findings: FCM plastics were analysed for phthalate content and when needed additionally tested for migration of phthalates according to the declared area of use with respect to food type, contact temperature and time in contact with food. In both recent control campaigns about 1/3 of the samples analysed exceeded the current maximum limits for phthalates (especially DBP and DEHP) in plastics or showed migration into the fatty food simulant above the specific migration limits. Critical sample types were conveyor belts, hoses and gloves. Conclusions: Legal limits for phthalates were exceeded in many of the samples analysed in recent tests, including a large proportion of conveyor belts and gloves. The proportion of non-compliant conveyor belts, hoses and gaskets was lower in 2013 and 2014 than in 2008-2009, whereas the proportion of non-compliant gloves increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prevalences of allergies and asthma have increased through the past few decades around the world, especially in countries and regions that have adopted modern lifestyles. Epidemiological studies outside of China have found a relationship between phthalates concentrations in indoor dust and symptoms of respiratory, skin and nose allergies. The aim of our study is to investigate the association between children's asthma and allergic symptoms and concentrations of different phthalates in settled dust samples collected from children's homes in metropolitan Tianjin (Tianjin and Cangzhou), China. We selected 126 cases with current allergic symptoms and 254 controls without allergic symptoms from the cohort of 7865 children. We collected dust samples from children's bedroom and analyzed them for their content of diethyl phthalate (DEP), diisobutyl phthalate (DiBP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP), butylbenzyl phthalate (BBzP), di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) and diisononyl phthalate (DiNP). We found a higher concentration of DEP in rhinitis children's homes (0.33 vs. 0.27 μg/g dust) and a higher concentration of DiBP in asthma children's homes (29.04 vs. 15.66 μg/g dust). The concentration of DiBP was significantly associated with diagnosed asthma (adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 1.30; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.07, 1.57). A dose–response relationship was found between concentrations of DiBP in dust and asthma. This study shows that some phthalates are associated with allergic and asthma symptoms in children. [Display omitted] • DiBP in house dust was significantly associated with children's asthma in China. • The mass fraction of DEP was significantly higher in homes of children with rhinitis than those without rhinitis. • DEHP had the highest concentration in indoor dust, followed by DnBP and DiBP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phthalates are common atmospheric contaminants used in the plastic industry. Ants have been shown to constitute good bioindicators of phthalate pollution. Hence, phthalates remain trapped on ant cuticles which are mostly coated with long-chain hydrocarbons. In this study, we artificially contaminated Lasius niger ants with four phthalates: dibutyl phthalate (DBP), diisobutyl phthalate (DiBP), di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), and benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP). The first three have previously been found on ants in nature in Touraine (France), while the fourth has not. The four phthalates disappeared rapidly (less than 5 days) from the cuticles of live ants. In contrast, on the cuticles of dead ants, DEHP quantities remained unchanged over time. These results indicate that phthalates are actively absorbed by the cuticles of live ants. Cuticular absorption of phthalates is nonspecific because eicosane, a nonnatural hydrocarbon on L. niger cuticle, was similarly absorbed. Ants are important ecological engineers and may serve as bioindicators of ecosystem health. We also suggest that ants and more generally terrestrial arthropods may contribute to the removal of phthalates from the local environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports, for the first time, the concentrations of selected phthalates in drinking water consumed in Portugal. The use of bottled water in Portugal has increased in recent years. The main material for bottles is polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Its plasticizer components can contaminate water by leaching, and several scientific studies have evidenced potential health risks of phthalates to humans of all ages. With water being one of the most essential elements to human health and because it is consumed by ingestion, the evaluation of drinking water quality, with respect to phthalate contents, is important. This study tested seven commercial brands of bottled water consumed in Portugal, six PET and one glass (the most consumed) bottled water. Furthermore, tap water from Lisbon and three small neighbor cities was analyzed. Phthalates (di- n-butyl phthalate ester (DnBP), bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate ester (DEHP), and di- i-butyl phthalate ester (DIBP)) in water samples were quantified (PET and glass) by means of direct immersion solid-phase microextraction and ionic liquid gas chromatography associated with flame ionization detection or mass spectrometry due to their high boiling points and water solubility. The method utilized in this study showed a linear range for target phthalates between 0.02 and 6.5 μg L, good precision and low limits of detection that were between 0.01 and 0.06 μg L, and quantitation between 0.04 and 0.19 μg L. Only three phthalates were detected in Portuguese drinking waters: dibutyl (DnBP), diisobutyl (DIBP), and di(ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP). Concentrations ranged between 0.06 and 6.5 μg L for DnBP, between 0.02 and 0.16 μg L for DEHP, and between 0.1 and 1.89 μg L for DIBP. The concentration of DEHP was found to be up to five times higher in PET than in glass bottled water. Surprisingly, all the three phthalates were detected in glass bottled water with the amount of DnBP being higher (6.5 μg L) than in PET bottled water. These concentrations do not represent direct risk to human health. Regarding potable tap water, only DIBP and DEHP were detected. Two of the cities showed concentration of all three phthalates in their water below the limits of detection of the method. All the samples showed phthalate concentrations below 6 μg L, the maximum admissible concentration in water established by the US Environmental Protection Agency. The concentrations measured in Portuguese bottled waters do not represent any risk for adult's health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a group of typical endocrine disrupters, phthalates are simultaneously present in a variety of environmental media and enter human body through multiple exposure pathways. In this study, field monitoring data were used to characterize the skin-air (K lg ), dust-air (K d ), and PM 2.5 -air (K p ) partition coefficients of DiBP, DnBP, and DEHP. The median values of log(K lg ) in the summer and winter were 7.654 and 7.932, 7.265 and 7.902, 9.419 and 9.015 for DiBP, DnBP, and DEHP, respectively, and K lg was significantly higher in the winter. The median K d (m 3 /mg) in the summer (0.036-0.151 for DiBP, 0.021-0.036 for DnBP and 1.479-4.069 for DEHP) were significantly higher than the counterparts in the winter (0.027-0.065 for DiBP, 0.022-0.245 for DnBP, and 0.140-3.250 for DEHP). In addition, K d was associated with material of surface and residence time of dust. The K p values (m 3 /μg) of DiBP, DnBP, and DEHP in the summer (0.053, 0.015, and 0.021) were also significantly higher than the counterparts in the winter (0.011, 0.004, and 0.025). The partition of phthalates was influenced by built environment, such as temperature, humidity, ventilation, indoor chemistry, smoking, and building age. Except K lg , there was substantial discrepancy between the estimates of K with empirical equations and the values of K based on field monitoring data in our study., (© 2022 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Abstract: In a published controlled dosing experiment, a single individual consumed 5mg each of labeled di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP) and diisobutyl phthalate (DiBP) on separate occasions and tracked metabolites in his blood and urine over 48h. Data from this study were used to structure and calibrate simple pharmacokinetic (PK) models for these two phthalates, which predict urine and blood metabolite concentrations with a given phthalate intake scenario (times and quantities). The calibrated models were applied to a second published experiment in which 5 individuals fasted over the course of a 48-h weekend (bottled water only), and their full urine voids were captured and measured for DnBP and DiBP metabolites. One goal of this model application was to confirm the validity of the calibrated models — their validity would be demonstrated if a profile of intakes could be found which adequately duplicated the metabolite concentrations measured in the urine. A second goal was to study patterns of exposure for this group. It was found that all metabolites could be duplicated very well with individual-specific “best-fit” intake scenarios, with one exception. It appears that the model predicted much lower concentrations of the metabolite, 3carboxy-mono-propylphthalate (MCPP), than were observed in all individuals. Modeled as a metabolite of DnBP, this suggests that DnBP was not the major source of MCPP in the urine. For all 5 individuals, the reconstructed dose profiles of the two phthalates were similar: about 6 small bolus doses per day and an intake of about 0.5μg/kg-day. The intakes did not appear to be associated with diary-reported activities (personal hygiene and medication) of the participants. The modeled frequent intakes suggested one (or both) of two possibilities: ongoing exposures such as an inhalation exposure, or no exposure but rather an ongoing release of body stores of the phthalate metabolites from past exposures. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Phthalates have been found in many personal care and industrial products, but have not previously been reported in food purchased in the United States. Phthalates are ubiquitous synthetic compounds and therefore difficult to measure in foods containing trace levels. Phthalates have been associated with endocrine disruption and developmental alteration. Objectives: Our goals were to report concentrations of phthalates in U.S. food for the first time, specifically, nine phthalates in 72 individual food samples purchased in Albany, New York, and to compare these findings with other countries and estimate dietary phthalate intake. Methods: A convenience sample of commonly consumed foods was purchased from New York supermarkets. Methods were developed to analyze these foods using gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy. Dietary intakes of phthalates were estimated as the product of the food consumption rate and concentration of phthalates in that food. Results: The range of detection frequency of individual phthalates varied from 6% for dicyclohexyl phthalate (DCHP) to 74% for di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP). DEHP concentrations were the highest of the phthalates measured in all foods except beef [where di-n-octyl phthalate (DnOP) was the highest phthalate found], with pork having the highest estimated mean concentration of any food group (mean 300 ng/g; maximum, 1,158 ng/g). Estimated mean adult intakes ranged from 0.004 μg/kg/day for dimethyl phthalate (DMP) to 0.673 μg/kg/day for DEHP. Conclusions: Phthalates are widely present in U.S. foods. While estimated intakes for individual phthalates in this study were more than an order of magnitude lower than U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reference doses, cumulative exposure to phthalates is of concern and a more representative survey of U.S. foods is indicated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Phthalates are universal contaminants. We show that they are trapped by the ant cuticles and maintained permanently at a low level, generally less than 1% of cuticular components. They are found throughout the interior of the insect, predominately in the fat body, which suggests that they are adsorbed by the cuticle. In open plastic boxes free of phthalates the ants became more contaminated with phthalates over a period of time, whereas in closed glass jars they did not. This finding suggests that the main source of pollutants is the atmosphere. Different ant species collected from multiple places showed similar levels of contamination. It appeared that in some pristine places the contamination was lower, but this needs to be confirmed. Ants can be considered as bio-indicators of phthalate pollution. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

An individual (male, 36 years, 87 kg) ingested two separate doses of di- n-butyl phthalate (DnBP) and diisobutyl phthalate (DiBP) at a rate of ~60 μg/kg. Key monoester and oxidized metabolites were identified and quantified in urine continuously collected until 48 h post-dose. For both DnBP and DiBP, the majority of the dose was excreted in the first 24 h (92.2 % of DnBP, 90.3 % of DiBP), while only <1 % of the dose was excreted in urine on day 2. In each case, the simple monoesters were the major metabolites (MnBP, 84 %; MiBP, 71 %). For DnBP, ~8 % was excreted as various side chain oxidized metabolites. For DiBP, approximately 20 % was excreted mainly as the oxidized side chain metabolite 2OH-MiBP, indicating that the extent of oxidative modification is around 2.5 times higher for DiBP than for DnBP. All DnBP and DiBP metabolites reached peak concentrations between 2 and 4 h post-exposure, followed by a monotonic decline. For DnBP metabolites, the elimination halftime of MnBP was 2.6 h; longer elimination halftimes were estimated for the oxidized metabolites (2.9-6.9 h). For DiBP metabolites, MiBP had the shortest halftime (3.9 h), and the oxidized metabolites had somewhat longer halftimes (4.1 and 4.2 h). Together with the simple monoesters, secondary oxidized metabolites are additional and valuable biomarkers of phthalate exposure. This study provides basic human metabolism and toxicokinetic data for two phthalates that have to be considered human reproductive toxicants and that have been shown to be omnipresent in humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phthalates are ubiquitous pollutants in the environment, due to their widespread use in the last years. These compounds are used principally as plasticizers, to impact flexibility, workability and durability to polymers but they can also be found in products such as paints, adhesives, inks and cosmetics. Phthalates are not chemically bounded to polymers; hence they are easily released and migrate into foods, beverages and drinking water from the packaging or bottling materials or manufacturing processes. This process accelerates as plastic products age and break down. With respect to their endocrine disrupting potential, phthalates such as benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP), di-butyl phthalate (DBP) and di-isobutyl phthalate (DIBP) have been found to elicit estrogenic responses in in vitro assays. It is possible that phthalates are a contributory factor to endocrine-mediated adverse effects observed in wildlife and humans over the past few decades. In this experiment we have analyzed the phthalates from different bottled waters purchased from the market. Determination by gas chromatography in combination with mass spectrometry detector (GC-MS) in electronic ionization mode (EI) with selected-ion monitoring (SIM) acquisition method (GC-MS (EI-SIM)) has been carried out. Methods have been developed for both qualitative and quantitative analysis of phthalates. The base peak (m/z = 149) of all the phthalates was selected for the screening studies. The characteristic ions of each compound were chosen for quantitative studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigations in an isothermal, semibatch reactor have been conducted to find out kinetic parameters for the synthesis of dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP) from phthalic anhydride and butyl alcohol or isobutyl alcohol,. The first stage, the formation of monoester, is very fast and irreversible. The second stage of the process, the esterification of monoester to diester, is slow. This reaction rate appears to be first-order with respect to the monoester and the rate does not depend on the concentration of alcohol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phthalates are endocrine disrupting compounds that have been found in outdoor and indoor air. However, little is known about their inhalatory absorption. Although measurement of urinary metabolites is the current standard, complex and convergent metabolism of phthalates poses the necessity for alternative methodologies such as the quantitation of parental compounds in plasma. We determined the inhalatory absorption of Diisobutyl phthalate (DiBP) using a novel method based on a thermal desorption probe (TSP)–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry developed for the detection and quantitation of nine phthalate diesters in blood plasma, which fulfilled the acceptance criteria suggested by FDA guidelines regarding specificity, matrix effect, recovery, linearity, sensitivity, accuracy, and precision. After inhalation, plasma concentration of DiBP exhibited two peaks, suggesting a first, rapid absorption event, followed by a second, delayed one and a first order elimination stage. Half-life was calculated as 62 min and bioavailability, compared to IV route, was 15%. [Display omitted] • Phthalates are present in air dust, thus the relevance of inhalation exposure. • A novel method to determine phthalates with minimum sample treatment is proposed. • The method is fast, sensitive, selective, efficient, flexible and reproducible. • Method was applied to determine inhalation absorption of DiBP. • Relative bioavailability, compared to IV route, was 15%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ubiquitous occurrences of phthalic acid esters (PAEs) or phthalates in a variety of consumer products have been demonstrated. Nevertheless, studies on their occurrence in various types of bottled drinks are limited. In this study, fifteen PAEs were analyzed in six categories of bottled drinks (n = 105) collected from the Chinese market, including mineral water, tea drinks, energy drinks, juice drinks, soft drinks, and beer. Among the 15 PAEs measured, DEHP was the most abundant phthalate with concentrations ranging from below the limit of quantification (LOQ) to 41,000 ng/L at a detection rate (DR) of 96%, followed by DIBP (DR: 88%) and DBP (DR: 84%) with respective concentration ranges of below LOQ to 16,000 and to 4900 ng/L. At least one PAE was detected in each drink sample, and the sum concentrations of 15 PAEs ranged from 770 to 48,004 ng/L (median: 6286 ng/L). Significant differences with respect to both PAE concentrations and composition profiles were observed between different types of bottled drinks. The median sum concentration of 15 PAEs in soft drinks was over five times higher than that detected in mineral water; different from other drink types. Besides DEHP, DBIP, and DBP, a high concentration of BMEP was also detected in a tea drink. The estimated daily dietary intake of phthalates (EDIdrink) through the consumption of bottled drinks was calculated based on the concentrations measured and the daily ingestion rates of bottled drink items. The EDIdrink values for DMP, DEP, DIBP, DBP, BMEP, DAP, BEEP, BBP, DCP, DHP, BMPP, BBEP, DEHP, DOP, and DNP through the consumption of bottled mineral water (based on mean concentrations) were 0.45, 0.33, 12.5, 3.67, 2.10, 0.06, 0.32, 0.16, 0.10, 0.09, 0.05, 0.81, 112, 0.13, and 0.20 ng/kg-bw/d, respectively, for Chinese adults. Overall, the EDIdrink values calculated for phthalates through the consumption of bottled drinks were below the oral reference doses suggested by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exposure to phthalates has recently become a major public health concern. The information of indoor airborne phthalates and their air-particle partition in real indoor environmental condition is still limited. In this study, the gas- and PM 2.5 -concentrations of 7 phthalates in 40 residences were concurrently measured in summer and winter. The major phthalates (median concentration in the summer and winter, respectively) in indoor air were DMP (2442.3 and 2403.4 ng/m3), D i BP (801.0 and 640.0 ng/m3) and D n BP (5173.2 and 1379.6 ng/m3), whereas the major phthalates in PM 2.5 were D i BP (1055.1 and 585.9 ng/m3) and D n BP (1658.5 and 1517.0 ng/m3) and DEHP (215.1 and 344.9 ng/m3). Air-PM 2.5 partition coefficients (K p) of D i BP, D n BP and DEHP were calculated: the summer and winter median values (m3/μg) were 0.053 and 0.011 for D i BP, 0.010 and 0.004 for D n BP, 0.021 and 0.025 for DEHP, respectively. Air-PM 2.5 partition of D i BP and D n BP approached equilibrium, while that of DEHP did not reach equilibrium in either season. The impacts of built environmental conditions on phthalate concentrations were characterized. Elevated temperature resulted in accumulation of airborne phthalates. Higher air humidity led to more water absorption of aerosols in summer, facilitated mass transfer of phthalates from air to PM 2.5 , and resulted in greater K p of D i BP and D n BP in the summer. Any factors such as proximity to local traffic highway and indoor smoking activities, which can increase indoor PM 2.5 concentrations, resulted in significantly higher airborne phthalate concentrations. Improving ventilation was not an effective measure to reduce indoor airborne phthalate concentrations. Image 1 • Gas- and PM 2.5 - phthalates in residential indoor environment were measured. • Air-PM 2.5 partition states of phthalates were examined with field measurements. • Humid air promoted transfer of phthalate from air to organic aerosols in summer. • Improving ventilation is not efficient to mitigate airborne phthalate exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phthalates are widely used as plasticizers in numerous products. However, there has been some concern about the various effects they may have on human health. Thus, household phthalate levels are an important public health issue. While many studies have assessed phthalate levels in house dust, the association of these levels with building characteristics has scarcely been examined. The present study investigated phthalate levels in house dust samples collected from the living areas of homes, and examined associations between these phthalate levels and the interior materials. Dust was collected from two portions of the living area: floor dust from the entire floor surface, and multi-surface dust from objects more than 35 cm above the floor. The levels of seven phthalates were measured using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry in selective ion monitoring mode. Phthalate levels were higher in multi-surface dust than in floor dust. Among floor dust samples, those from dwellings with compressed wooden flooring had significantly higher levels of di-iso-butyl phthalate compared to those with other floor materials, while polyvinyl chloride (PVC) flooring was associated with higher di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) levels. Among multi-surface dust samples, higher levels of DEHP and di-iso-nonyl phthalate (DINP) were found in samples from homes with PVC wallpaper than without. The number of PVC interior materials was significantly positively correlated with the levels of DEHP and DINP in multi-surface dust. The phthalate levels in multi-surface dust were associated with the interior surface materials, and those in floor dust were directly related to the flooring materials. Our findings show that when using house dust as an exposure assessment, it is very important to note where the samples were collected from. The present report provides useful information about the association between phthalates and dust inside dwellings, which will assist with establishing public health provisions., (© 2013. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In a first study, rats were given diisooctyl phthalate (DIOP, CAS 27554-26-3) at 0, 0.1, 0.5, and 1g/kg/day, by gavage, on gestation days 6-20 (GD). There was a significant increase in resorptions at 1g/kg/day and a reduction in fetal weights at 0.5 and 1g/kg/day. Malpositioned testes were observed in fetuses at 1g/kg/day, and supernumerary lumbar ribs and ossification delay at 0.5 and 1g/kg/day. In a follow-up study, DIOP administered on GD 12-19 reduced fetal testicular testosterone at 0.1g/kg/day and above. Finally, postnatal reproductive assessment was conducted in adult male offspring prenatally exposed to DIOP on GD 12-21. Abnormalities of reproductive system (e.g. hypospadias, non scrotal testes, and hypospermatogenesis) were observed in a few adult males at 0.5g/kg/day, and with a high incidence at 1g/kg/day. Thus, DIOP displayed an antiandrogenic activity and disrupted the male reproductive development., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals such as bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates is prevalent among children and adolescents, but little is known regarding important sources of exposure at these sensitive life stages. In this study, we measured urinary concentrations of BPA and nine phthalate metabolites in 108 Mexican children aged 8-13 years. Associations of age, time of day, and questionnaire items on external environment, water use, and food container use with specific gravity-corrected urinary concentrations were assessed, as were questionnaire items concerning the use of 17 personal care products in the past 48-h. As a secondary aim, third trimester urinary concentrations were measured in 99 mothers of these children, and the relationship between specific gravity-corrected urinary concentrations at these two time points was explored. After adjusting for potential confounding by other personal care product use in the past 48-h, there were statistically significant (p<0.05) positive associations in boys for cologne/perfume use and monoethyl phthalate (MEP), mono(3-carboxypropyl) phthalate (MCPP), mono(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate (MEHHP), and mono(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate (MEOHP), and in girls for colored cosmetics use and mono-n-butyl phthalate (MBP), mono(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP), MEHHP, MEOHP, and mono(2-ethyl-5-carboxypentyl) phthalate (MECPP), conditioner use and MEP, deodorant use and MEP, and other hair products use and MBP. There was a statistically significant positive trend for the number of personal care products used in the past 48-h and log-MEP in girls. However, there were no statistically significant associations between the analytes and the other questionnaire items and there were no strong correlations between the analytes measured during the third trimester and at 8-13 years of age. We demonstrated that personal care product use is associated with exposure to multiple phthalates in children. Due to rapid development, children may be susceptible to impacts from exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals; thus, reduced or delayed use of certain personal care products among children may be warranted., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Human exposure to chemicals commonly encountered in our environment, like phthalates, is routinely assessed through urinary measurement of their metabolites. A particular attention is given to the specific population groups, such as obese, for which the dietary intake of environmental chemicals is higher. To evaluate the exposure to phthalates, nine phthalate metabolites (PMs) were analyzed in urine collected from obese individuals and a control population. Obese individuals lost weight through either bariatric surgery or a conservative weight loss program with dietary and lifestyle counseling. Urine samples were also collected from the obese individuals after 3, 6 and 12months of weight loss. Individual daily intakes of the corresponding phthalate diesters were estimated based on the urinary PM concentrations. A high variability was recorded for the levels of each PM in both obese and control urine samples showing the exposure to high levels of PMs in specific subgroups. The most important PM metabolite as percentage contribution to the total PM levels was mono-ethyl phthalate followed by the metabolites of di-butyl phthalate and di 2-ethyl-hexyl phthalate (DEHP). No differences in the PM levels and profiles between obese entering the program and controls were observed. Although paralleled by a significant decrease of their weight, an increase in the urinary PM levels after 3 to 6months loss was seen. Constant figures for the estimated phthalates daily intake were observed over the studied period, suggesting that besides food consumption, other human exposure sources to phthalates (e.g. air, dust) might be also important. The weight loss treatment method followed by obese individuals influenced the correlations between PM levels, suggesting a change of the intake sources with time. Except for few gender differences recorded between the urinary DEHP metabolites correlations, no other differences were observed for the urinary PM levels as a function of age, body mass index or waist circumference. Linear regression analysis showed almost no significance of the relationship between measured urinary PMs and serum free thyroxine, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) for all obese individuals participating to the study, while for the control samples, several PMs were significantly associated with the serum TSH levels., (© 2013.)