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Estimated daily intake of phthalates in occupationally exposed groups

Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology volume 21, pages 133–141 (2011)Cite this article

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Abstract

Improved analytical methods for measuring urinary phthalate metabolites have resulted in biomarker-based estimates of phthalate daily intake for the general population, but not for occupationally exposed groups. In 2003–2005, we recruited 156 workers from eight industries where materials containing diethyl phthalate (DEP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), and/or di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) were used as part of the worker's regular job duties. Phthalate metabolite concentrations measured in the workers' end-shift urine samples were used in a simple pharmacokinetic model to estimate phthalate daily intake. DEHP intake estimates based on three DEHP metabolites combined were 0.6–850 μg/kg/day, with the two highest geometric mean (GM) intakes in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) film manufacturing (17 μg/kg/day) and PVC compounding (12 μg/kg/day). All industries, except phthalate manufacturing, had some workers whose DEHP exposure exceeded the U.S. reference dose (RfD) of 20 μg/kg/day. A few workers also exceeded the DEHP European tolerable daily intake (TDI) of 50 μg/kg/day. DEP intake estimates were 0.5–170 μg/kg/day, with the highest GM in phthalate manufacturing (27 μg/kg/day). DBP intake estimates were 0.1–76 μg/kg/day, with the highest GMs in rubber gasket and in phthalate manufacturing (17 μg/kg/day, each). No DEP or DBP intake estimates exceeded their respective RfDs. The DBP TDI (10 μg/kg/day) was exceeded in three rubber industries and in phthalate manufacturing. These intake estimates are subject to several uncertainties; however, an occupational contribution to phthalate daily intake is clearly indicated in some industries.

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Abbreviations

boot:

rubber boot

cmpd:

PVC compounding

film:

PVC film

filt:

vehicle filters

gask:

rubber gasket

hose:

rubber hose

manf:

phthalate manufacturing

nail:

nail-only salons

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA,

    Cynthia J Hines, Nancy B N Hopf & James A Deddens

  2. Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

    James A Deddens

  3. National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

    Manori J Silva & Antonia M Calafat

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  1. Cynthia J Hines
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  2. Nancy B N Hopf
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  3. James A Deddens
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Correspondence to Cynthia J Hines.

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Hines, C., Hopf, N., Deddens, J. et al. Estimated daily intake of phthalates in occupationally exposed groups. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol 21, 133–141 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/jes.2009.62

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