Exposure to select phthalates and phenols through use of personal care products among Californian adults and their children

Claire Philippat; Deborah Bennett; Antonia M Calafat; Irva Hertz Picciotto

doi:10.1016/j.envres.2015.04.009

Exposure to select phthalates and phenols through use of personal care products among Californian adults and their children

Environ Res. 2015 Jul:140:369-76. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2015.04.009. Epub 2015 May 2.

Authors

Claire Philippat¹, Deborah Bennett², Antonia M Calafat³, Irva Hertz Picciotto⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Public Health Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, USA; MIND (Medical Investigations of Neurodevelopmental Disorders) Institute, University of California, Davis, CA, USA. Electronic address: cphilippat@ucdavis.edu.
² Department of Public Health Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, USA.
³ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.
⁴ Department of Public Health Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, USA; MIND (Medical Investigations of Neurodevelopmental Disorders) Institute, University of California, Davis, CA, USA.

Abstract

Introduction: Certain phenols and phthalates are used in many consumer products including personal care products (PCPs).

Aims: We aimed to study the associations between the use of PCPs and urinary concentrations of biomarkers of select phenols and phthalates among Californian adults and their children. As an additional aim we compared phenols and phthalate metabolites concentrations measured in adults and children urine samples collected the same day.

Methods: Our study relied on a subsample of 90 adult-child pairs participating in the Study of Use of Products and Exposure Related Behavior (SUPERB). Each adult and child provided one to two urine samples in which we measured concentrations of selected phenols and phthalate metabolites. We computed Spearman correlation coefficients to compare concentrations measured in adults and children urine samples collected the same day. We used adjusted linear and Tobit regression models to study the associations between the use of PCPs in the past 24h and biomarker concentrations.

Results: Benzophenone-3 and parabens concentrations were higher in adults compared to their children. Conversely children had higher mono-n-butyl phthalate and mono-isobutyl phthalate concentrations. No significant difference was observed for the other compounds. The total number of different PCPs used was positively associated with urinary concentrations of methyl, propyl and butyl parabens and the main metabolite of diethyl phthalate in adults. Among children, the use of a few specific products including liquid soap, hair care products and sunscreen was positively associated with urinary concentrations of some phenols or phthalate metabolites.

Discussion: These results strengthen the body of evidence suggesting that use of PCPs is an important source of exposure to parabens and diethyl phthalate in adults and provide data on exposure to selected phenols and phthalates through use of PCPs in children.

Keywords: Endocrine disruptors; Parabens; Personal care products; Phenols; Phthalates; Temporal variability.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Adult
California
Child
Child, Preschool
Cosmetics*
Environmental Exposure*
Female
Humans
Limit of Detection
Male
Middle Aged
Phenols / toxicity*
Phenols / urine
Phthalic Acids / toxicity*
Phthalic Acids / urine

Substances

Cosmetics
Phenols
Phthalic Acids

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Substances

Grants and funding