5 As such, consumption of fast food and other dining-out sources, 5 as well as lipophilic foods such as dairy, 4 can be important dietary sources of phthalate exposures.īuilding products containing phthalates, such as vinyl flooring and wall coverings, have a large surface area from which phthalates can migrate into the indoor air and household dust, also resulting in human exposure. 4 Phthalates have been shown to leach into food from plastic equipment like tubing used in commercial dairy operations, lid gaskets, food preparation gloves, conveyor belts, and food packaging materials. 3ĭiet is a particularly important exposure pathway for some phthalates, including DEHP and DiNP. The highest-production phthalates are di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), diisononyl phthalate (DiNP), butylbenzyl phthalate (BBzP), dibutyl phthalates (DBPs), and diethyl phthalate (DEP). 1 Approximately 4.9 million metric tons are produced annually worldwide (reviewed in Ejaredar et al. Phthalates are used in numerous consumer products, including food production materials and packaging medical supplies and coatings of medicines flooring, wall coverings, and other home materials and cosmetics and other personal care products. (For simplicity, we will refer to them as phthalates.) They are high-production-volume chemicals used most often as a plasticizer in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and other plastics.
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Ortho-phthalates are diesters of phthalic acid and are the predominate type of phthalate used in commerce. We summarize the epidemiological evidence on adverse neurodevelopmental effects following prenatal exposure to ortho-phthalates, discuss sources of exposure and what is known about potential mechanisms, and propose urgently needed reforms to substantially reduce exposures to ortho-phthalates over critical periods of child brain development. To protect child brain development, ortho-phthalates need to be removed from consumer products that contribute to exposure of pregnant women, women of reproductive age, infants, and children. Given that general population exposure is ubiquitous and is to a mixture of multiple ortho-phthalates simultaneously, we recommend that assessment of hazard use a class approach, as has been done for a number of other chemical classes. This growing body of evidence, along with the known adverse effects on male reproductive tract development of ortho-phthalates, calls for immediate action. There are robust data from longitudinal birth cohort studies conducted over the last decade that have shown associations between prenatal exposures to ortho-phthalates and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), other behavioral problems, adverse cognitive development including lower IQ, poorer psychomotor development, and impaired social communication. The fact that manufacturers and retailers have already voluntarily removed ortho-phthalates from a wide range of products indicates that this goal is feasible.Īs experts in toxic chemicals and neurodevelopment who are members of Project TENDR (Targeting Environmental Neuro-Development Risks), we have determined that exposure to ortho-phthalates can impair child brain development and increase children’s risks for learning, attention, and behavioral disorders. Ortho-phthalates are used in a vast array of products and elimination will thus necessitate a multipronged regulatory approach at federal and state levels. Specific attention should be focused on reducing exposures among socially vulnerable populations such as communities of color, who frequently experience higher exposures.
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We propose critically needed policy reforms to eliminate ortho-phthalates from products that lead to exposure of pregnant women, women of reproductive age, infants, and children. We thus recommend that a class approach be used in assessing health impacts as has been done with other chemical classes.
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This growing body of evidence, along with known adverse effects on male reproductive tract development, calls for immediate action.Įxposures are ubiquitous the majority of people are exposed to multiple ortho-phthalates simultaneously.
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Robust data from longitudinal birth cohort studies and experimental studies of perinatally exposed animals indicate that exposure to ortho-phthalates can impair brain development and increase risks for learning, attention, and behavioral disorders in childhood.