Chapter 44 - Phthalates

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Abstract

Advances in materials sciences and engineering during the last decades have led to a widespread use of phthalates (phthalic acid esters) in a wide range of industrial products. Phthalates are used as plasticizers that impart flexibility and durability to polyvinylchloride (PVC) products. They are also used in solvents, lubricating oils, fixatives, and as detergents in personal care products. When incorporated into PVC, phthalates are not covalently bound and are therefore easily released to the surroundings, leading to contamination of the external environment. Phthalates are detected in several media including food, water, house dust, and air, thereby exposing animals and humans.

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Cited by (12)

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    Phthalates are esters of 1, 2-dibenzene dicarboxylic acid and are grouped into two based on molecular weight. Low molecular weight phthalates are widely present in personal care products, toys, medical devices, adhesives, building material and electronics (Jonsson et al., 2003; Guo and Kannan, 2013; Lyche, 2017). High molecular weight phthalates, provide increased permanency and durability, are primarily used as plasticizers in polyvinyl chlorides (PVCs) (Katsikantami et al., 2016).

  • Assessment of susceptibility to phthalate and DINCH exposure through CYP and UGT single nucleotide polymorphisms

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    Firstly, they are hydrolysed by esterase or lipases into the corresponding monoesters (phase I biotransformation) followed by oxidation of the monoester side chain by the cytochrome P450 enzymes (CYPs; phase I biotransformation) resulting into secondary metabolites – mainly with hydroxy, oxo, and carboxy functional groups. Most of the metabolites further undergo conjugation (phase II biotransformation), which is catalysed mainly by UDP-glucuronyl transferases (UGTs), forming hydrophilic conjugates that are easily excreted in within 48 h in urine (major pathway) or faeces (minor pathway) (Frederiksen et al., 2007; Benjamin et al., 2017; Lyche, 2017; Domínguez-Romero and Scheringer, 2019). Accordingly, exposure to PHs and DINCH is assessed by the measurement of the primary and secondary metabolites in the urine; mostly without distinguishing between conjugated and non-conjugated forms.

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