TY - JOUR
T1 - Predictors with regard to ingestion, inhalation and dermal absorption of estimated phthalate daily intakes in pregnant women
T2 - The Barwon infant study
AU - Sugeng, Eva J.
AU - Symeonides, Christos
AU - O'Hely, Martin
AU - Vuillermin, Peter
AU - Sly, Peter D.
AU - Vijayasarathy, Soumini
AU - Thompson, Kristie
AU - Pezic, Angela
AU - Mueller, Jochen F.
AU - Ponsonby, Anne Louise
AU - the Barwon Infant Study Investigator Group
PY - 2020/6
Y1 - 2020/6
N2 - Human exposure to phthalate chemicals, used in consumer product plastics, occurs throughout the day. Phthalate levels in pregnant women are associated with offspring health effects including obesity and neurodevelopmental problems. Knowledge of predictors of exposure is necessary in order to effectively reduce phthalate exposure. The present study aims to identify predictors of phthalate levels in Australian pregnant women from the Barwon Infant study birth cohort. Maternal urine samples from 841 women were analyzed for phthalate metabolites. Maternal diet and food preparation practices, use of volatile household products, household characteristics and personal care product use were assessed with questionnaires. All maternal urine contained phthalate metabolites. Maternal prenatal high-fat milk consumption was associated with higher benzyl butyl phthalate (BBzP) (p < 0.001), and bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) (p = 0.0023). Higher phthalate levels were associated with consumption of tinned food (fish and tomatoes). Diethyl phthalate (DEP) levels were significantly higher when women reported using air freshener (35% increase, p = 0.01), aerosols (40% increase, p = 0.005), hair treatment chemicals (28% increase, p = 0.031), and chlorine (34% increase, p = 0.009) compared to no use. Maternal phthalate levels did not vary by reported plastic avoidance during pregnancy. The study showed that phthalate exposure is ubiquitous and increased by multiple factors. Future intervention studies to reduce phthalate levels among pregnant women will need to take into account the variety of sources identified in this study.
AB - Human exposure to phthalate chemicals, used in consumer product plastics, occurs throughout the day. Phthalate levels in pregnant women are associated with offspring health effects including obesity and neurodevelopmental problems. Knowledge of predictors of exposure is necessary in order to effectively reduce phthalate exposure. The present study aims to identify predictors of phthalate levels in Australian pregnant women from the Barwon Infant study birth cohort. Maternal urine samples from 841 women were analyzed for phthalate metabolites. Maternal diet and food preparation practices, use of volatile household products, household characteristics and personal care product use were assessed with questionnaires. All maternal urine contained phthalate metabolites. Maternal prenatal high-fat milk consumption was associated with higher benzyl butyl phthalate (BBzP) (p < 0.001), and bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) (p = 0.0023). Higher phthalate levels were associated with consumption of tinned food (fish and tomatoes). Diethyl phthalate (DEP) levels were significantly higher when women reported using air freshener (35% increase, p = 0.01), aerosols (40% increase, p = 0.005), hair treatment chemicals (28% increase, p = 0.031), and chlorine (34% increase, p = 0.009) compared to no use. Maternal phthalate levels did not vary by reported plastic avoidance during pregnancy. The study showed that phthalate exposure is ubiquitous and increased by multiple factors. Future intervention studies to reduce phthalate levels among pregnant women will need to take into account the variety of sources identified in this study.
KW - Daily intake
KW - Exposure predictors
KW - Maternal diet
KW - Phthalate exposure
KW - Pregnant women
KW - Volatile product use
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U2 - 10.1016/j.envint.2020.105700
DO - 10.1016/j.envint.2020.105700
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85083853655
VL - 139
SP - 1
EP - 12
JO - Environment International
JF - Environment International
SN - 0160-4120
M1 - 105700
ER -