Skin transferability of phthalic acid ester plasticizers and other plasticizers using model polyvinyl chloride sheets

Phthalate exposure and lung disease: the epidemiological evidences, plausible mechanism and advocacy of interventions

Phthalates are a kind of synthetic plasticizers, which extensively used as plastic productions to improve their plasticity and flexibility. However, exposure to phthalates has been proved an increased risk of respiratory disease, because by they affect the development and functions of the lung and immune system. Here, we attempt to review respiratory health of phthalate exposure. Firstly, we describe the relationship between phthalates and lung function and airway inflammation. Then, the role of phthalates in asthma, lung cancer, rhinitis, and respiratory tract infections and the possible mechanisms of action are discussed. Finally, possible effective measures to reduce exposure to phthalates are proposed, and health care workers are called upon to provide educational resources and advocate for informed public health policies. Overall, the evidence for association between phthalate exposure and respiratory disease is weak and inconsistent. Therefore, thorough implementation in large populations is needed to produce more consistent and robust results and to enhance the overall understanding of the potential respiratory health risks of phthalate in long-term exposure.

Phthalate Plasticizers in Children's Products and Estimation of Exposure: Importance of Migration Rate

Plasticizers are added to diverse consumer products including children's products. Owing to their potential for endocrine disruption, the use of phthalate plasticizers is restricted in many children's products. In this study, exposure to five phthalate esters (dibutylphthalate, di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), diethyl phthalate, di-isobutyl phthalate, and diisononyl phthalate (DINP)) and an alternative (di-ethylhexyl adipate) was assessed by the use of children's products based on chemical analysis of 3345 products purchased during 2017 and 2019 in Korea. Plasticizers were found above the detection limits in 387 products, and DEHP and DINP were the two most predominantly detected plasticizers. Deterministic and probabilistic estimation of the margin of exposure at a screening level revealed that the use of children's products might be an important risk factor. However, it is also highly likely that the exposure could be overestimated, because the migration rate was estimated based solely on the content of plasticizers in children's products. Chemical migration is a key process determining the absorption of plasticizers from products; thus, further refinements in experimental determination or model estimation of the migration rate are required.