Phthalate metabolites concentrations in amniotic fluid and maternal urine: Cumulative exposure and risk assessment

Ioanna Katsikantami; Manolis N Tzatzarakis; Athanasios K Alegakis; Vasiliki Karzi; Eleftheria Hatzidaki; Athina Stavroulaki; Elena Vakonaki; Pelagia Xezonaki; Stavros Sifakis; Apostolos K Rizos; Aristidis M Tsatsakis

doi:10.1016/j.toxrep.2020.04.008

Phthalate metabolites concentrations in amniotic fluid and maternal urine: Cumulative exposure and risk assessment

Toxicol Rep. 2020 Apr 19:7:529-538. doi: 10.1016/j.toxrep.2020.04.008. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Chemistry, University of Crete & Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas (FORTH-IESL), 71003, Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
² Laboratory of Toxicology Science and Research, Medical School, University of Crete, 71003, Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
³ Department of Neonatology & NICU, University Hospital of Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
⁴ Mitera, Maternity Hospital, Heraklion, Crete, Greece.

Abstract

Phthalates are used in industry as plasticizers or additives in everyday products and they have been considered as endocrine disrupting chemicals. Maternal exposure during pregnancy has been associated with neonatal exposure, preterm birth and impacts in the reproductive and respiratory systems. The aim of this study is to determine six phthalate metabolites (mono isobutyl phthalate, miBP, mono n-butyl phthalate, mnBP, mono benzyl phthalate, mBzP, mono ethylhexyl phthalate, mEHP, mono 2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl phthalate, mEHHP, mono 2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl-phthalate, mEOHP) in amniotic fluid and urine from 100 pregnant women. Participants answered questionnaires for the use of plastics and cosmetics, dietary habits, health effects, pregnancy problems, health and infant development. Positive amniotic fluid samples ranged from 1% to 21% and urine from 27% to 54%. The median levels for amniotic fluid were 2.3 μg/L - 10.7 μg/L and for urine 4.9 μg/L - 46.7 μg/L. The major results include significant correlations between urinary phthalates indicating their common sources of exposure, the frequent use of deodorant was significantly associated with higher urinary miBP (p = 0.050) and mnBP (p = 0.028) and a weak inverse association was found for the use of make-up products with mBzP (p = 0.053). The frequent use of plastic food containers was significantly associated with urinary mEHP (p = 0.026), and a positive trend was noticed for mEHP in amniotic fluid (p = 0.093). An association although weak was found between urinary mEHP and lower birth length (rs = 0.396, p = 0.062). No other associations were found for infant health problems or development. The daily intake of the total phthalates was calculated 5.4 μg/kg body weight/day which corresponds to hazard index 0.10 and exposure follows the declining trend that has been observed the last decades.

Keywords: 2cx-mMHP, mono 2-carboxymethyl-hexyl phthalate; Amniotic fluid; BBzP, benzyl butyl phthalate; DEHP, di 2-ethylhexyl phthalate; Daily intake; DiBP, di iso-butyl phthalate; DiNP, di isononyl phthalate; DnBP, di n-butyl phthalate; EDCs, endocrine disrupting chemicals; EDI, estimated daily intake HQ, hazard quotient; HI, hazard index; LC-APCI-MS, liquid chromatography-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization-mass spectrometry; Phthalate metabolites; Risk assessment; Urine; mBzP, mono benzyl phthalate; mECPP or 5cx-mEPP, mono 2-ethyl-5-carboxypentyl phthalate; mEHHP or 5OH-mEHP, mono 2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl phthalate; mEHP, mono ethylhexyl phthalate; mEOHP or 5oxo-mEHP, mono 2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl-phthalate; mEP, mono ethyl phthalate; miBP, mono iso-butyl phthalate; mmP, mono methyl phthalate; mnBP, mono n-butyl phthalate.