The effects of phthalate and nonylphenol exposure on body size and secondary sexual characteristics during puberty.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Some phthalic acid esters (PAEs) and nonylphenol (NP) are endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) that are widely used in consumer products. Consequently, the general population is exposed simultaneously to both groups of chemicals.

OBJECTIVE:

To investigate the single- and co-exposure effects of PAEs (DMP, DEP, DnBP, DiBP, BBzP, and DEHP) and NP on obesity and pubertal maturity to compare the body sizes of general adolescents with the complainants of the phthalate-tainted foods scandal that occurred in Taiwan.

METHODS:

This study included 270 general adolescents aged 6.5-15.0 years and 38 complainants aged 6.5-8.5 years. Nine metabolites of the five PAEs and of NP were measured in urine. We used a questionnaire to evaluate pubertal maturity, measured anthropometric indices (APs) to assess body size, and collected urine samples to measure the two groups of chemicals.

RESULTS:

We found that urinary PAE metabolite concentrations (specifically, metabolites of DEP, DnBP, DiBP, and DEHP) were positively associated with the APs for abdominal obesity (including skinfold thickness, waist circumference, waist-to-height ratio, and waist-to-hip) and indicated a dose-response relationship. Mono-methyl phthalate (MMP) exposure was inversely associated with pubarche among boys. The daily intake of DEHP in general adolescents exceeded the reference doses (RfD-20 μg/kgbw/day) and tolerable daily intake (TDI-50 μg/kgbw/day) by 3.4% and 0.4%, respectively. No associations were observed between NP exposure or co-exposure and the APs or pubertal maturity. No significant differences were observed between general adolescents and the complainants with regard to weight, height, or BMI.

CONCLUSIONS:

The study suggests that PAE (specifically, DEP, DnBP, DiBP, and DEHP) exposure is associated with abdominal obesity in adolescents and that the APs for abdominal obesity are more sensitive than BMI for measuring obesity among adolescents. We suggest that the RfD and TDI for PAEs should be revised to provide sufficient protection.

• Authors: Jia-Woei Hou, Ching-Ling Lin, Yen-An Tsai, Chia-Huang Chang, Kai-Wei Liao, Ching-Jung Yu, Winnie Yang, Ming-Jun Lee, Po-Chin Huang, Chien-Wen Sun, Yin-Han Wang, Fang-Ru Lin, Wen-Chiu Wu, Meng-Chih Lee, Wen-Harn Pan, Bai-Hsiun Chen, Ming-Tsang Wu, Chu-Chih Chen, Shu-Li Wang, Ching-Chang Lee, Chao Agnes Hsiung, Mei-Lien Chen
• Journal: International journal of hygiene and environmental health (Int J Hyg Environ Health) Vol. 218 Issue 7 Pg. 603-15 (Oct 2015) ISSN: 1618-131X [Electronic] Germany
• PMID: 26163779 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Endocrine Disruptors
• Environmental Pollutants
• Phenols
• Phthalic Acids
• monomethyl phthalate
• phthalic acid
• nonylphenol
• Diethylhexyl Phthalate

Topics

• Adolescent
• Anthropometry
• Body Size (drug effects)
• Body Weight (drug effects)
• Child
• Diethylhexyl Phthalate (adverse effects, urine)
• Endocrine Disruptors (adverse effects, urine)
• Environmental Exposure (adverse effects, analysis)
• Environmental Pollutants (adverse effects, urine)
• Female
• Food Contamination
• Humans
• Male
• Obesity, Abdominal (etiology, urine)
• Pediatric Obesity (etiology, urine)
• Phenols (adverse effects, urine)
• Phthalic Acids (adverse effects, urine)
• Puberty (drug effects)
• Reference Values
• Sex Characteristics
• Taiwan