Chemical industry voluntary test program for phthalate esters: health effects studies

Aneugenic, clastogenic, and multi-toxic effects of diethyl phthalate exposure

Diethyl phthalate (DEP) is a compound which is used in many industrial fields, especially in cosmetic sector and causes contamination in air, water, and soil due to its widespread usage. In this study, the potential toxic effects of DEP were investigated by using physiological, anatomical, biochemical, and cytogenetic parameters in Allium cepa. The micronucleus (MN) test specifically aimed to elucidate the aneugenic and clastogenic effects of DEP. Physiological effects were determined by germination percentage, root length, weight gain parameters, and cytogenetic effects were investigated by mitotic index (MI) and chromosomal abnormality (CA) test. Malondialdehyde (MDA) level, catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities were investigated as oxidative damage indicators and structural changes were investigated with anatomical cross sections. For this purpose, Allium cepa bulbs were divided into four groups as control and application groups and the application groups were germinated with 1.0, 2.2, and 4.4 μM DEP for 72 h. As a result, it was determined that germination percentage, weight gain and root length decreased, CA frequency, MDA level, SOD, and CAT activities were increased in DEP-treated groups when compared with the control group. DEP has been found to induce CA in root tip cells such as fragment, chromosome bridge, c-mitosis, sticky chromosome, and unequal chromatin distribution. When MN formations induced by DEP application were examined, both large-scale and small-scale MNs were determined. MN formation in both sizes indicates that DEP has both clastogenic and aneugenic effects. And also, it was found that DEP application caused structural changes and especially anatomic damages such as necrosis in 4.4 μM DEP application. As a result, it was found that DEP caused various toxic effects depending on the dose and that A. cepa test material was a useful indicator in determining these effects.