Search Results (18)

Phthalates are widely used plasticizers that can leach from consumer products and pose potential health risks, particularly to infants whose developing systems are vulnerable to environmental toxicants. While various exposure pathways have been identified, the contribution of dermal absorption from disposable diapers remains inadequately characterized. This study recruited 66 infants from Guangzhou, a representative city in southern China. Paired disposable diaper and urine samples were collected from each participant. Six phthalates in the diapers and nine metabolites in the urine were quantitatively analyzed. The predominant phthalate detected in the diapers was bis-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP, with a median concentration of 1670 ng/g, range: 678–5200 ng/g), followed by di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP, 948 ng/g, range: 189–5980 ng/g), di-iso-butyl phthalate (DiBP, 333 ng/g, range: 16.1–4910 ng/g), and diethyl phthalate (DEP, 252 ng/g, range: 116–3350 ng/g). In urine, metabolites of DEHP (mEHP, mEHHP, and mEOHP) were the most abundant (87.1 ng/mL), followed by mnBP (metabolites of DnBP, 44.6 ng/mL), mEP (metabolites of DEP, 33.7 ng/mL), and miBP (metabolites of DiBP, 13.9 ng/mL). A positive correlation was observed between DnBP levels in diapers and mnBP levels in urine (r = 0.259, p = 0.035). Additionally, several urinary metabolites (miBP, mnBP, and mEP) were positively associated with a biomarker of DNA oxidative damage, 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (r = 0.265–0.316, p < 0.01). The estimated daily uptake of DEP, DiBP, DnBP, and DEHP through dermal absorption from diapers accounted for 44.9%, 19.5%, 15.1%, and 7.76% of total exposure to these phthalates, respectively. These findings suggest that dermal absorption from diapers is a significant exposure pathway for infants. Given that both the amount of exposure and the contribution of dermal uptake are higher in younger infants, further attention is warranted to understand the potential effects of transdermal phthalate exposure on infant growth and development. Full article

Phthalates are commonly found in indoor environments. Consequently, children may be exposed to phthalates through the air, potentially causing health issues. We collected 72 air samples from 60 households and 12 classrooms in Jinan, surveyed and health-examined children, assessed their phthalate inhalation exposure, and analyzed the associations between inhalation exposure levels and children’s anthropometric and physiological indicators. Eight phthalates were detected in children’s households and classrooms, with detection frequencies ranging from 91.6% to 100%. Di-iso-butyl phthalate (DiBP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP), and di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) were the predominant phthalates. Children’s indoor inhalation exposure to phthalates ranged from 8.90 to 147 ng/(kg·day), with DEHP being the main inhaled phthalate. The non-carcinogenic risks of indoor environments where children live are within acceptable limits. DEHP has a low carcinogenic risk. Di-n-octyl phthalate (DnOP) exposure was associated with a decrease in body mass index z-score, waist circumference, and hip circumference. Additionally, DEHP exposure was negatively associated with the waist-to-hip ratio. DiBP exposure was negatively associated with the systolic blood pressure z-score, while DnOP exposure was negatively associated with the diastolic blood pressure z-score. Furthermore, DEHP exposure was positively associated with fractional exhaled nitric oxide z-score. The findings of this study suggest that phthalate inhalation exposure may substantially affect various health metrics in children, including body mass index, waist and hip circumference, and blood pressure, and increase the risk of respiratory tract inflammation. Full article

Based on toxicological evidence, children’s exposure to phthalates may contribute to altered neurodevelopment and abnormal regulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). We analyzed data from five aligned studies of the Human Biomonitoring for Europe (HBM4EU) project. Ten phthalate metabolites and protein BDNF levels were measured in the urine samples of 1148 children aged 6–12 years from Italy (NACII-IT cohort), Slovakia (PCB-SK cohort), Hungary (InAirQ-HU cohort) and Norway (NEBII-NO). Serum BDNF was also available in 124 Slovenian children (CRP-SLO cohort). Children’s total, externalizing and internalizing behavioral problems were assessed using the Child Behavior Checklist at 7 years of age (only available in the NACII-IT cohort). Adjusted linear and negative binomial regression models were fitted, together with weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression models to assess phthalate mixture associations. Results showed that, in boys but not girls of the NACII-IT cohort, each natural-log-unit increase in mono-n-butyl phthalate (MnBP) and Mono(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate (MEOHP) was cross-sectionally associated with higher externalizing problems [incidence rate ratio (IRR): 1.20; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.42 and 1.26; 95% CI: 1.03, 1.55, respectively]. A suggestive mixture association with externalizing problems was also observed per each tertile mixture increase in the whole population (WQS—IRR = 1.15; 95% CI: 0.97, 1.36) and boys (IRR = 1.20; 95% CI: 0.96, 1.49). In NACII-IT, PCB-SK, InAirQ-HU and NEBII-NO cohorts together, urinary phthalate metabolites were strongly associated with higher urinary BDNF levels, with WQS regression confirming a mixture association in the whole population (percent change (PC) = 25.9%; 95% CI: 17.6, 34.7), in girls (PC = 18.6%; 95% CI: 7.92, 30.5) and mainly among boys (PC = 36.0%; 95% CI: 24.3, 48.9). Among CRP-SLO boys, each natural-log-unit increase in ∑DINCH concentration was associated with lower serum BDNF levels (PC: −8.8%; 95% CI: −16.7, −0.3). In the NACII-IT cohort, each natural-log-unit increase in urinary BDNF levels predicted worse internalizing scores among all children (IRR: 1.15; 95% CI: 1.00, 1.32). Results suggest that (1) children’s exposure to di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP) and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) metabolites is associated with more externalizing problems in boys, (2) higher exposure to DINCH may associate with lower systemic BDNF levels in boys, (3) higher phthalate exposure is associated with higher urinary BDNF concentrations (although caution is needed since the possibility of a “urine concentration bias” that could also explain these associations in noncausal terms was identified) and (4) higher urinary BDNF concentrations may predict internalizing problems. Given this is the first study to examine the relationship between phthalate metabolite exposure and BDNF biomarkers, future studies are needed to validate the observed associations. Full article

Phthalate use and the concentrations of their metabolites in humans vary by geographic region, race, ethnicity, sex, product use and other factors. Exposure during pregnancy may be associated with detrimental reproductive and developmental outcomes. No studies have evaluated the predictors of exposure to a wide range of phthalate metabolites in a large, diverse population. We examined the determinants of phthalate metabolites in a cohort of racially/ethnically diverse nulliparous pregnant women. We report on urinary metabolites of nine parent phthalates or replacement compounds—Butyl benzyl phthalate (BBzP), Diisobutyl phthalate (DiBP), Diethyl phthalate (DEP), Diisononyl phthalate (DiNP), D-n-octyl phthalate (DnOP), Di-2-ethylhexyl terephthalate (DEHTP), Di-n/i-butyl phthalate (DnBP), Di-isononyl phthalate (DiNP) and Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) from urine collected up to three times from 953 women enrolled in the Nulliparous Mothers To Be Study. Phthalate metabolites were adjusted for specific gravity. Generalized estimating equations (GEEs) were used to identify the predictors of each metabolite. Overall predictors include age, race and ethnicity, education, BMI and clinical site of care. Women who were Non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic or Asian, obese or had lower levels of education had higher concentrations of selected metabolites. These findings indicate exposure patterns that require policies to reduce exposure in specific subgroups. Full article

In this study, we investigated the accumulation and transport patterns of phthalate ester (PAEs) compounds in the soil-plant system of maize and cabbage fields under different film mulching years. The total content of five PAEs in the maize fields soil ranged from 156.19 to 566.1 μg kg⁻¹ with film mulching for 0–20 years. The total content of five PAEs in the cabbage field soils ranged from 252.48 to 559.07 μg kg⁻¹ with film mulching for 0–30 years. The PAEs content in cabbage and maize field soils was lower than the environmental quality standards for soil (GB 15618-2008). With the increase in film mulching years, both maize and cabbage soil PAEs contents increased significantly (p < 0.05), while among the five PAEs, the contents of di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP) and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) increased the most significantly, and the content of DEHP in the soils was the highest. The DEHP content in soils planted with maize ranges from 134.03 to 406.79 μg kg⁻¹ with the film mulching for 20 years; while in soil planted with cabbage, it ranges from 229.35 to 405.2 μg kg⁻¹ with the film mulching for 30 years. The DEHP content in all of the soils has not exceed the limit value established by the USEPA in U.S. Five PAEs were detected in maize seeds and cabbage leaves, among which the DEHP content exceeded the maximum residue limit set by the National Food Safety Standard (GB 9685-2016) for DEHP in food after more than 10 years of mulching. The bioaccumulation and translocation factors in cabbage showed a significant positive correlation with the film mulching years. However, the bioaccumulation factor and translocation factor in maize have weak correlations with the film mulching years, possibly due to the lower PAEs content in the deep soil layers where maize roots are distributed. Our research revealed a significant association between the presence and distribution of PAEs in crops and mulching years. These novel discoveries provide fundamental information for controlling PAEs pollution in agricultural environments. Full article

Lake Baikal was studied as a model for elucidating the general pattern of o-phthalic acid diester (PAE) distributions in surface waters with background pollution levels. The influence of factors including congeners, concentrations, sampling points, seasons, years, and potential sources was considered and the environmental risk for various hydrobionts was established. Priority PAEs in Baikal waters are represented by dimethyl phthalate (DMP), diethyl phthalates (DEP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP) and di-(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP). Statistically valuable average concentrations and ranges for DMP, DEP, DnBP, and DEHP were 0.02 (0.01–0.02), 0.07 (0.06–0.09), 0.55 (0.47–0.66), and 0.30 (0.26–0.34) µg/L, respectively. The main factors determining PAE concentrations were the year and season of sampling, whereas sampling points were not among the factors influencing PAE levels. The distribution of PAEs in the water body was characterized by (i) an even distribution of minor hydrophilic DMP and DEP congeners in the whole water body, (ii) a maximum concentration of hydrophobic DnBP and DEHP congeners in the upper and near-bottom layers of the water column, and (iii) a low concentration of hydrophobic congeners in the near-shore area. The main PAE source was found to be the atmospheric transfer of polluted air masses, while the supply of PAEs from coastal sources to the pelagic zone was low. The contribution of biogenic sources to the background level of PAEs in the surface waters of Lake Baikal was established. The ecological risk of the background concentration level of PAEs for Lake Baikal biota was estimated. It was found that (i) DMP and DEP congeners do not represent a risk, or represent a very low risk, (ii) the concentration levels of dominant DnBP and DEHP congeners represent a low risk for crustaceans and fishes but (iii) a rather high risk for algae at a DEHP concentration of 0.30 µg/L. Full article

Six phthalates: dimethyl phthalate (DMP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), di(n-butyl) phthalate (DnBP), butyl benzyl phthalate (BBzP), di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), and di(n-octyl) phthalate (DOP) in settled dust on different indoor surfaces were measured in 30 university dormitories. A Monte Carlo simulation was used to estimate college students’ exposure via inhalation, non-dietary ingestion, and dermal absorption based on measured concentrations. The detection frequencies for targeted phthalates were more than 80% except for DEP (roughly 70%). DEHP was the most prevalent compound in the dust samples, followed by DnBP, DOP, and BBzP. Statistical analysis suggested that phthalate levels were higher in bedside dust than that collected from table surfaces, indicating a nonuniform distribution of dust-phase phthalates in the sleep environment. The simulation showed that the median DMP daily intake was 0.81 μg/kg/day, which was the greatest of the targeted phthalates. For the total exposures to all phthalates, the mean contribution of exposures during the daytime and sleeping time was 54% and 46%, respectively. Full article

Phthalates are mainly used as plasticizers and are associated inter alia with adverse effects on reproductive functions. While more and more national programs in Europe have started monitoring internal exposure to phthalates and its substitute 1,2-Cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid (DINCH), the comparability of results from such existing human biomonitoring (HBM) studies across Europe is challenging. They differ widely in time periods, study samples, degree of geographical coverage, design, analytical methodology, biomarker selection, and analytical quality assurance level. The HBM4EU initiative has gathered existing HBM data of 29 studies from participating countries, covering all European regions and Israel. The data were prepared and aggregated by a harmonized procedure with the aim to describe—as comparably as possible—the EU-wide general population’s internal exposure to phthalates from the years 2005 to 2019. Most data were available from Northern (up to 6 studies and up to 13 time points), Western (11; 19), and Eastern Europe (9; 12), e.g., allowing for the investigation of time patterns. While the bandwidth of exposure was generally similar, we still observed regional differences for Butyl benzyl phthalate (BBzP), Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), Di-isononyl phthalate (DiNP), and Di-isobutyl phthalate (DiBP) with pronounced decreases over time in Northern and Western Europe, and to a lesser degree in Eastern Europe. Differences between age groups were visible for Di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP), where children (3 to 5-year olds and 6 to 11-year olds) had lower urinary concentrations than adolescents (12 to 19-year-olds), who in turn had lower urinary concentrations than adults (20 to 39-year-olds). This study is a step towards making internal exposures to phthalates comparable across countries, although standardized data were not available, targeting European data sets harmonized with respect to data formatting and calculation of aggregated data (such as developed within HBM4EU), and highlights further suggestions for improved harmonization in future studies. Full article

Background: School-aged children living near plastics–producing factories may have higher risk of exposure to phthalates released during the manufacturing processes. Objectives: We aimed to investigate the urinary concentrations of phthalate metabolites in school-aged children living near a petrochemical complex and estimate the cumulative risk of phthalate exposure. Methods: We used a well-established cohort (Taiwan Petrochemical Complex Cohort for Children, TPE3C) of school-aged children (6–13 years old) living near polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) factories in central Taiwan from October 2013 to September 2014. A total of 257 children were included from five elementary schools: Syu-Cuo Branch (n = 58, school A, ~0.9 km), Feng-An (n = 40, school B, ~2.7 km), Ciao-Tou (n = 58, school C, ~5.5 km), Mai-Liao (n = 37, school D, ~6.9 km), and Lung-Feng (n = 57, school E, ~8.6 km). We analyzed 11 metabolites of seven phthalates (including di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) and di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP)) in urine. Daily intakes (DIs) were compared with acceptable intake levels to calculate the hazard quotient (HQ) for individual phthalates, and the cumulative risk for each child was assessed using a hazard index (HI), which was the sum of the the individual HQs. Results: The geometric mean and proportion of participants with HIs exceeding one for hepatic (HI_hep) and reproductive (HI_rep) effects were 0.33 (13.2%) and 0.24 (7.8%), respectively. The major contributors to phthalate exposure risk were DEHP, di-iso-butyl phthalate (DiBP) and DnBP in all children. Moreover, we observed a U shaped distribution of DEHP exposure by school distance from the PVC and VCM factories (school A: 7.48 μg/kg/day and school E: 80.44 μg/kg/day). This may be due to emissions (closest) and and being located downwind of PVC scrap incineration (farthest). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that children living near a petrochemical complex were at a greater risk of phthalate exposure than normal school-aged children and that phthalate exposure was mainly attributed to DEHP, DiBP and DnBP. In addition, inhalation may have been a risk factor for people living near to PVC and VCM factories. Full article

Male infertility is a serious concern for public health, and the possible role of exposure to plasticizers such as phthalates and bisphenol A in contributing to the condition is widely debated. We have herein enrolled 155 infertility cases attending an infertility center and 211 controls (fathers of a spontaneously conceived newborn) to investigate this issue. The urinary levels of seven phthalates and BPA were analyzed through HPLC/MS/MS. All data were statistically elaborated considering information about clinical situation, life habits, occupational activity, and, for cases, semen parameters (volume, sperm concentration, total count of spermatozoa, and sperm motility). Results showed significantly higher urinary concentrations for all the phthalates in cases compared to controls, except for monoethylphthalate and BPA. In total, 90.07% of cases had sperm motility lower than the WHO reference value (2010), while 53.69%, 46.31%, and 16.56% had sperm total number, concentration, and volume, respectively, out of the reference range. Regarding the possible source of exposure, the use of scents seems to be a significant source of DEP (diethylphthalate). When considering occupational settings, industrial workers, dental technicians, artisans, and farmers using chemicals showed higher risk (OR = 2.766, 95% CI 1.236–6.185), particularly in relation to DnBP (di-n-butyl phthalate) and DEHP (di-ethyl-hexyl phthalate) exposure. No clear quantitative correlation between specific plasticizers and sperm parameters could be demonstrated but these findings call for future studies about the risks associated with exposure to their mixture. Full article

Phthalates are ubiquitous ‘modern’ chemical compounds with potential negative impacts on children’s health. A nested case–control study was designed to investigate associations of phthalate exposure with children’s asthma and allergic symptoms. We collected 243 first morning urine samples from 4–8-year-old children in Tianjin, China. Eight metabolites (i.e., mono-ethyl phthalate (MEP), mono-isobutyl phthalate (MiBP), mono-n-butyl phthalate (MnBP), mono-benzyl phthalate (MBzP) and mono-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (MEHP), mono-(2-ethyl-5-carboxylpentyl) phthalate (MECPP), mono-(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate (MEHHP) and mono-(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate (MEOHP)) of five phthalates were analyzed using HPLC-MS. MiBP, MnBP and MECPP were the dominant phthalate metabolites in urine of children in Tianjin with median concentrations of 31.6 μg/L, 26.24 μg/L and 46.12 μg/L, respectively. We found significantly positive associations of diagnosed asthma with MnBP (adjusted odds ratios (AOR): 1.96; 95% confidence intervals (CIs): 1.07–3.61), MEHHP (AOR: 2.00; 95% CI: 1.08–3.71) and MEOHP (AOR: 2.09; 95% CI: 1.06–4.10). Our study indicates that phthalate exposure in childhood, especially to di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP) and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), may be a risk factor for children’s asthma. Full article

We performed personal PM_2.5 monitoring involving 56 adult residents in Hong Kong. Additionally, paired personal and residential indoor fine particle (PM_2.5) samples were collected from 26 homes and from 3 fixed monitoring locations (i.e., outdoor samples). Six PM_2.5-bound phthalate esters (PAEs)—including dimethyl phthalate (DMP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP), butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP), di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), and di-n-octyl phthalate (DnOP)—were measured using a thermal desorption–gas chromatography/mass spectrometer method. Average ∑₆PAEs (i.e., summation of six PAE congeners) concentrations in personal PM_2.5 exposure (699.4 ng/m³) were comparable with those in residential indoors (646.9 ng/m³), and both were slightly lower than the outdoor levels. DEHP was the most abundant PAE congener (80.3%–85.0%) and found at the highest levels in different exposure categories, followed by BBP, DnBP, and DnOP. Strong correlations were observed between DEHP with DnBP (r_s: 0.81–0.90; p < 0.01), BBP (r_s: 0.81–0.90; p < 0.01), and DnOP (r_s: 0.87–0.93; p < 0.01) in each exposure category. However, no apparent intercorrelations were shown for PAE congeners. Higher indoor concentrations and a stronger correlation between DMP and DEP were found compared with outdoor concentrations. Principal component analysis affirmed heterogeneous distribution and notable variations in PAE sources across different exposure categories. The average daily intakes of ∑₆PAEs and DEHP via inhalation were 0.14–0.17 and 0.12–0.16 μg/kg-day for adults in Hong Kong. A time-weighted model was used to estimate PAE exposures incorporating residential indoor and outdoor exposure and time activities. The inhalation cancer risks attributable to measured and estimated personal exposure to DEHP exceeded the U.S. EPA’s benchmark (1 × 10⁻⁶). The results provide critical information for mitigation strategies, suggesting that PAEs from both ambient and indoor sources should be considered when exploring the inhalation health risks of PAEs exposure. Full article

Phthalate esters (PAEs) are widely used as plasticizers in industrial and commercial products, and are classified as endocrine-disrupting compounds. In this study, we investigated the contamination characteristics and health risks of PAEs in the soil–plant system in coastal areas of South China. PAEs were detected in soil and plant samples at all 37 sampling sites. The total concentration of the 15 PAEs in soil samples ranged from 0.445 to 4.437 mg/kg, and the mean concentration was 1.582 ± 0.937 mg/kg. The total concentration of the 15 PAEs in plant samples ranged from 2.176 to 30.276 mg/kg, and the mean concentration was 8.712 ± 5.840 mg/kg. Di(2-Ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP) were the major PAEs compounds in all samples. The selected contaminants exhibited completely different spatial distributions within the study area. Notably, higher concentrations of PAEs were found in the coastal Guangdong Province of South China. The average noncarcinogenic risks of Σ6 PAEs were at acceptable levels via dietary and nondietary routes. However, the noncarcinogenic risks posed by DEHP and DBP at some sampling sites were relatively high. Furthermore, dietary and nondietary carcinogenic risks were very low for BBP, but carcinogenic risks posed by DEHP via diet. The results suggest that PAEs in the coastal soil–plant system in South China, through human risk assessment, will induce some adverse effects on human health, especially in children. This study provides an important basis for risk management of PAEs in agriculture, and safety in coastal areas of South China. Full article

Background: Occupational health hazards associated with phthalate exposure among nurses are still not well understood. Methods: We used high-performance liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry to analyze phthalates. Anthropometric measurements and questionnaires were conducted. Results: We observed associations between mono-benzyl phthalate (MBzP) and body mass index (BMI), hip circumference (HC), waist circumference (WC), waist to height ratio (WHtR), and fat mass index (FMI), visceral fat content, BMI risk and hip index risk (HIrisk), adjusted to consumer behavior and consumer practices (r = 0.36–0.61; p ≤ 0.046). In the same model, we detected an association between mono-n-butyl phthalate (MnBP) and waist to hip ratio (WHR; r = 0.36; p = 0.046), mono-carboxy-isononyl phthalate (cx-MiNP) and BMI (r = 0.37; p = 0.043), HC (r = 0.4; p = 0.026) and WHtR (r = 0.38; p = 0.037), between mono-oxo-isononyl phthalate oxo (MiNP) and HC (r = 0.36; p = 0.045), mono-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (MEHP), mono(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate (oxo-MEHP) and HIrisk (r = 0.38–0.41; p ≤ 0.036), between oxo-MEHP and Anthropometric Risk Index (ARI risk; r = 0.4; p = 0.028). We detected a relationship between BMI and MBzP (β = 0.655; p < 0.001) and mono-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (MEHP; β = −0.365; p = 0.003), between hip circumference and MBzP (β = 0.486; p < 0.001), MEHP (β = −0.402; p = 0.001), and sum of secondary metabolites of diisononyl phthalate (∑DiNP; β = 0.307; p = 0.016). We observed a relationship between fat content and MBzP (β = 0.302; p = 0.033), OH-MnBP (β = −0.736; p = 0.006) and MiBP (β = 0.547; p = 0.046), visceral fat content and MBzP (β = 0.307; p = 0.030), HI-risk and MBzP (β = 0.444; p = 0.001), ARI-risk and sum of di-n-butyl phthalate metabolites (∑DnBP; β = 0.337; p = 0.018). We observed an association between the use of protective equipment with cx-MiNP. Conclusions: Occupational exposure to phthalates may induce abdominal obesity and result in obesity-related metabolic disorders. Full article

Endothelial function is crucial in the pathogenesis of circulatory and cardiovascular toxicity; epidemiologic research investigating the association between phthalate exposure and endothelial dysfunction remains limited. We examined the associations between exposures to specific phthalates (di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate, DEHP; di-n-butyl phthalate, DnBP) and circulating endothelial and platelet microparticles (EMPs and PMPs) in adolescents and young adults. Of the 697 participants recruited, anthropometric measurements and health-related behaviors relevant to cardiovascular risks were collected and assessed. Urine and serum were collected and analyzed with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and flow cytometry. Multiple linear regression indicated that increases in urinary concentrations of ΣDEHP and MnBP (mono-n-butyl phthalate), across quartiles, were positively associated with serum EMPs level (p for trend <0.001 and <0.001; β = 0.798 and 0.007; standard error = 0.189 and 0.001, respectively). Moreover, female and overweight subjects had higher MnBP, and males were more vulnerable to DnBP exposure compared to females. In conclusion, our results demonstrate a dose-response relationship between exposures to phthalates (ΣDEHP and MnBP) and microparticle formation (EMPs and PMPs) in adolescents and young adults. The findings indicate that exposures to phthalates of both low and high-molecular weight are positively associated with microparticle production, and might contribute to endothelial dysfunction; such damage might manifest in the form of atherosclerotic-related vascular diseases. Future in vivo and in vitro studies are warranted to elucidate whether a causal relationship exists between phthalate exposure and EMPs and PMPs. Full article