Phthalate is an endocrine disruptor that interferes with homeostasis and developmental regulation. It is highly toxic to the environment and is associated with various diseases of the human body. Using biological samples from 140 adult subjects, to evaluate the influencing factors which are related to contaminant concentration levels, we used correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis. Lastly, in order to analyze the health effects related to exposure to phthalates, we conducted a risk assessment by estimating acceptable daily intake exposure according to the influential factors. When we compared the concentration level according to influential factors, in general, the subjects who had engaged in home remodeling work had higher urinary phthalate metabolite concentrations levels than the subjects who had not engaged in home remodeling work. We can confirm statistically significant differences in DBP metabolites. In addition, we can confirm the concentration appeared higher in the categories such as using air freshener, sofa and foods. Through conducting a risk assessment of DEHP, BBzP, DiBP, and DnBP by using data on phthalate metabolite concentration in urine, it was found that the average concentration of all metabolites did not exceed TDI.

Phthalates, known as typical endocrine disruptors, are plasticizers used to soften plastics such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Because of their material properties, phthalates are used extensively in the production of toys, flooring, wood processing, detergents, and even cosmetics as lubricants and perfume solvents. Due to their endocrine disrupting effect and other adverse health effects published, recently, phthalates have been regulated in many countries. Besides, in an effort to replace phthalates, several chemical plasticizers such as trioctyltrimellitate (TOTM) and dioctylterephthalate (DIOP) have been used instead of the existing harmful phthalates, and novel alternatives are continuously being developed. Nonetheless, phthalates are still being detected in several plastic products, and the safety of alternatives that are considered safe is being questioned. In this review, we describe the adverse health effects of phthalates, their regulation and the current status of their alternatives.

Thousands of new chemicals have been introduced to environment during last decades. Many of them and common consumer products have been shown to be the endocrine disrupting chemicals. One such chemical group is the phthalates, used in soft poly vinyl chloride (PVC) material and in a huge number of consumer products. The prevalence of these modem chemicals have a remarkable increase. Approximately 3.5 million tons of the main phthalate, di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), are produced annually worldwide and indeed, DEHP is considered a ubiquitous environmental contaminant. It has been demonstrated that high doses of phthalate can adversely affect adult and developing animals. In this review, we critically discuss the conclusions of recently original research papers and provide an overview of studies on reproductive disrupting effects of phthalates. In addition, we review the reproductive toxicity data of phthalates in some in vitro research and in both male and female reproductive systems in experimental and domestic animals. Finally, we point out some critical issues that should be addressed in order to clarify the implication of phthalates for human reproduction.

This study was followed up asthma incidence rate in primary schools indoor air quality. To investigate the history and prevalence rate of allergic diseases(asthma, atopy dermatitis, allergic rhinitis and conjunctivitis), the standardized and generally used International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood(ISAAC) questionnaire was used to conduct the symptom survey for all participating subjects. The concentrations of major indoor air pollutants(dust mite allergen, aldehydes , VOCs, TBC, phthalate) were observed from April to May 2007. Sampling was undertaken at 19 primary schools. The sampling sites of air pollutants are classroom’s indoor and hallway. Dust mite allergen part it was detected from the case classroom and infirmary. The exposure quality of aldehyde and the place pollution level was indoor>outdoor>hallway, which whole is disease incidence rate high group appears more highly the low group than. The partially result of formaldehy and VOCs, the concentration of high environmental disease incidence rate showed also high. However, house dust allergen, TBC and phthalate measurement school was not the effect where the comparison of difference.

광양만과 섬진강 하구에서 내분비계장애물질의 일종인 프탈레이트 화합물의 분포 특성을 국내에서는 처음으로 연구하였다. Di-butyl phthalate (DBP)와 di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate(DBHP)를 비롯한 9종의 프탈레이트 및 adipate를 분석 대상으로 선정했다. DBP와 DEHP가 가장 높은 빈도와 농도로 검출되었으며, 다른 화합물은 거의 검출되지 않았거나 검출한계 이하였다 광양만 표층퇴적물에서 DBP와 DEHP의 평균 농도는

As alternatives of phthalate plasticizers harmful as endocrine disruptors, citrate esters have been considered for plasticizer in the production of cosmetics, PVC plastics, and pharmaceuticals. Though considered to be low toxic in mammals in vivo and in vitro toxicological information for citrate esters in aquatic lives remained poorly understood. In an effort to find alternative plasticizers we examined the developmental toxicity of tributyl O-acetylcitrate (ATBC), triethyl 2-acetylcitrate (ATEC) and trihexyl O-acetylcitrate (ATHC) together with dibutyl phthalate (DBP) as the positive control in Xenopus laevis embryos based on Frog Embryo Teratogenesis Assay Xenopus (FETAX). In X. laevis embryos LC50 and EC50 values of ATBC at 96 hours were calculated to be 12.7 ppm (13.3 mg/L) and 11.6 ppm (12.2 mg/L). The LC50 and EC50 values of ATEC at 96 hours were calculated to be 360.6 ppm (409.6 mg/L) and 364.3 ppm (413.8 mg/L), respectively. The LC50 values of ATHC at 96 hours were calculated to be 97.5 ppm (98.0 mg/L). The LC50 and EC50 values of dibutyl phthalate (DBP) at 96 hours were calculated to be 12.7 ppm (13.2 mg/L) and 7.1 ppm (7.4 mg/L), respectively. Developmental abnormality such as head malformation, gut malformation, bent trunk, ventral blister, abnormal tail and myotome were significantly increased by DBP at 8.9 ppm, and which was observed by citrate esters at much higher concentration (ATEC, 320 ppm; ATHC, > 75 ppm; ATBC, 15 ppm). In DBP treated embryos, overgrowth of nostrils was frequently observed and growth was inhibited at 6 ppm. ATEC and ATBC inhibited growth at 80 and 15 ppm, respectively. In ATHC treated embryos, the head and tail length were significantly increased at 14.8 ppm. Lipid peroxidation in tadpoles was significantly increased by DBP (10 ppm) but not by ATEC, ATBC, and ATHC. In tadpoles pro-apoptotic bad, bax and bak mRNA levels and DNA fragmentation were significantly increased by DBP (10 ppm) but not by citrate esters. Together, citrate esters could be considered as substitution for phthalate esters as plastic plasticizers.

네일락카와 헤어스프레이 같은 화장품에 존재하는 미량의 프탈레이트를 정량분석하기 위하여, 가스크로마토그래피와 질량분석기를 사용한 효과적이면서 환경친화적인 분석방법을 개발하였다. 이들 화장품들은 다량의 유기용매를 함유되어 프탈레이트를 분석하기 위하여 널리 사용되는 시료의 클린업 방법이 적합하지 않았다. 더군다나 미량의 프탈 레이트 분석시에는 실험과정 중에서의 오염으로 인해 실제보다 높은 분석값을 산출하게 되는 경우가 매우 많다. 이에 정확한 함량분석 및 이차오염을 방지하기 위해 유기용매를 사용하여 시료를 직접 희석하는 시료 전처리를 적용하였다.이 분석방법은 높은 정확성, 분석감도, 그리고 시료전처리를 간략히 할 수 있는 이점을 가진다. 화장품에서의 검출되는 빈도가 높고, 사람과 동물에 영향을 미치는 환경호르몬으로 보고되는 dibutyl phthalate (DBP)와 di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) 두 종의 프탈레이트를 분석대상으로 선정하였다. 정량시 그 정확도 향상을 위해서 내부표준물질로두 물질의 중수소치환체인 DBP-d4,와 DEHP-d4를 사용하였다. 시험법의 유효화를 시행한 결과 본 시험법이 ppm 농도의 프탈레이트 정량분석에 적합함을 확인하였으며, 네일락카와 헤어스프레이 제품에 약 25 μg/g의 농도로 표준물질을 첨가하여 분석한 회수율은 95 ∼ 106.1 % 범위였고, % 상대표준편차 값은 3.9 % 이하였다.

프탈레이트는 화장품 원료로서 사용되지 않지만 네일락카, 헤어스프레이 제품류 등에는 혼입 또는 오염에 의해 제품 중에서 검출되어 시민단체 등에 의해 지속적인 안전성 문제가 제기되고 있기에 이들 제품에 대한 정확한 함량분석은 매우 중요하다. 그러나, 대부분의 프탈레이트 시험은 수질 또는 환경시료 등에서 다량의 유기용매로 추출/농축하여 가스크로마토그래피-질량분광분석기(GC-MS)를 사용하여 미량의 함량을 분석하는 방법으로 화장품 분석에 적용하기가 쉽지 않으며 화장품 분석에 적용되는 공인시험법도 아직까지 없는 실정이다. 또한 질량분석기의 가격, 시료전처리 및 기기유지관리에 소요되는 비용과 시간이 적지 않아 일반적인 품질관리에 적용하기엔 부담이 적지 않다. 특히 프탈레이트의 ppm 수준 이하 농도 분석시에는 기기 및 기구, 시약 등의 오염에 의해 분석결과 수치가 높게 나타나는 문제점으로 인해 정확한 분석기술과 분석경험이 매우 중요하다. 이에 본 연구에서는 네일락카와 헤어스프레이 제품 분석에 적합하며 품질보증(quality-assurance ; Q.A)을 위한 시험에도 유용하도록 저비용의 범용적인 기기를 사용하면서 ppm 농도의 프탈레이트를 빠른 시간에 분석할 수 있는 방법을 설계하였다. 이 방법은 유기용매 사용량을 최소화하여 친환경적이며, 시료전처리 시간과 단계를 줄여 오염의 가능성을 최소화하며 저비용의 가스크로마토그래피-불꽃이온화검출기(GC-FID)를 사용하여 제품 내 2 ∼ 50 g/g (ppm) 농도의 프탈레이트를 검출하는 분석법으로 관련업체에서 매우 유용하게 사용될 수 있을 것이다.