Personal care product use predicts urinary concentrations of some phthalate monoesters

Phthalate exposure in association with the use of personal care products among general population from Shanghai

Phthalates are used in a wide variety of personal care products (PCPs) as solubilizer, denaturant or color fixative. However, there are few studies referring the correlation between phthalate exposure and PCPs use among general population in China. In this study, ten metabolites of phthalates in spot urine samples (N = 500) were quantified using ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. The frequency and duration of 12 types of PCPs were collected by questionnaire survey. The associations of phthalate metabolites and PCPs use were assessed by multivariable liner regression models. Median concentration of mono-benzylphthalate (MBzP) was significantly higher among frequent users of almost all PCPs. Low molecular weight phthalates (monomethyl phthalate (MMP), mono-n-butylphthalate (MnBP) and monoisobutylphthalate (MiBP)) were significantly lower among frequent user of some rinse-off PCPs (e.g., shampoo, facial cleanser, and body wash). Meanwhile, monoethylphthalate (MEP) was positive correlated with frequently use of facial moisturizer. Mono-2-ethylhexylphthalate (MEHP) and MBzP showed a significant positive association with frequently use of body lotion. Univariate linear analyses indicated a significant decreasing trend between urinary concentrations of MMP, MnBP, and the number of rinse-off PCPs being frequently used, and a significant increasing trend between urinary MBzP and the number of leave-on products being frequently used. These findings indicated that the use of some PCPs, especially leave-on PCPs, could be a potential source of exposure to some phthalates.

Correlates of urinary concentrations of phthalate and phthalate alternative metabolites among reproductive-aged Black women from Detroit, Michigan

BACKGROUND

Phthalates are endocrine-disrupting chemicals that are widely present in consumer products. In the United States, Black women are more highly exposed to phthalates than other racial/ethnic groups, yet information on predictors of phthalate exposure among Black women is limited.

OBJECTIVE

We evaluated the association of demographics, lifestyle, reproductive history, and personal care product use with urinary concentrations of phthalate and phthalate alternative metabolites, using cross-sectional data from a study of 754 Black women from Detroit, Michigan (2010-2012).

METHODS

Women completed questionnaires and provided urine specimens which were analyzed for 16 phthalate and phthalate alternative metabolites. We used linear regression models to estimate mean percentage differences and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) in concentrations across levels of correlates.

RESULTS

Monoethyl phthalate (MEP) and MBP concentrations were positively associated with personal care product use, particularly nail products. Educational attainment was positively associated with high molecular weight phthalate concentrations but inversely associated with monobenzyl phthalate (MBzP) concentrations. Parity was positively associated with MBzP concentrations and inversely associated with concentrations of MEP and high molecular weight phthalates.

SIGNIFICANCE

We found that sociodemographics, reproductive characteristics, and use of certain personal care products were associated with urinary phthalate concentrations among Black women. Our results emphasize the importance of examining exposure determinants among multiply marginalized populations.

Prenatal exposure to halogenated, aryl, and alkyl organophosphate esters and child neurodevelopment at two years of age

Neurotoxicity of organophosphate esters (OPEs) has been reported in toxicological studies, but epidemiological findings are limited. We aimed to assess the associations between prenatal OPE exposures and children's neurodevelopment at 2 years old. We measured urinary concentrations of OPEs collected in the first and third trimester from 184 pregnant women in Wuhan, China. Childhood neurodevelopment was assessed using the Chinese revision of Bayley Scale of Infant Development. A two-fold increase in the average of bis (1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (BDCIPP) was associated with 3.50 decrease in Psychomotor Development Index (PDI) score (95%CI: -5.86, -1.14) and 5.75 decrease in Mental Development Index (MDI) score (95%CI: -8.94, -2.55). Average of the molar concentrations of chlorinated-alkyl OPEs (ΣCl-OPEs) during pregnancy was inversely associated with PDI [β = -3.24 (95%CI: -5.95, -0.53)] and MDI scores [β = -5.86 (95%CI: -9.52, -2.20)]. Prenatal concentrations of BDCIPP and ΣCl-OPEs were inversely associated with neurodevelopment scores in boys, but not in girls. Our study provides evidence that elevated prenatal exposure to chlorinated-alkyl OPEs especially BDCIPP might be inversely associated with childhood neurodevelopment, and the effect seems to be sex-specific.

Secular trends of urinary phthalate metabolites in 7-year old children and association with building characteristics: Hokkaido study on environment and children's health

The widespread commercial production and use of phthalates as plasticizers in consumer products have led to significant human exposure. Some phthalates are known to disrupt the endocrine system and result in adverse health outcomes. As such, they have been regulated in materials used for children's items and food packages. In this study, we examined the secular trend of urinary phthalate metabolites in children and the association between metabolites and building characteristics. In total, 400 first-morning spot urine samples of 7 years old children collected from 2012 to 2017 from an ongoing birth cohort study were examined. Parents provided information on demographics and building questionnaires. We analyzed 10 urinary phthalate metabolites from five phthalate diesters using ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS): MiBP, MnBP, MBzP, MEHP, MEOHP, MEHHP, MECPP, MiNP, OH-MiNP, and cx-MiNP. A multivariable regression model with creatinine-corrected metabolite levels was applied to assess secular trends during 2012-2017. The association between metabolite levels and building characteristics was investigated using a mutual-adjusted linear regression. The metabolites MnBP, MEHP, MEOHP, MEHHP, MECPP, and OH-MiNP were detected in all samples. The highest median concentration was for MECPP 37.4 ng/mL, followed by MnBP and MEHHP at concentrations of 36.8 and 25.8 ng/mL, respectively. Overall, DBP, BBzP, and DINP metabolite concentrations in this study were comparable to or lower than those in previous studies from Japan and other countries in a similar study period. Higher concentrations of DEHP metabolites were observed in this study than in children from the USA and Germany, as per previous reports. Despite updated phthalate regulations and reports of production volume change in Japan, all the measured metabolites showed a stable trend between 2012 and 2017. Higher phthalate metabolite levels were observed among children from households with low annual income, those who lived in old buildings, and those with window opening habits of ≥1 h than ≤1 h. In contrast, children in houses that vacuumed 4 or more days/week showed a lower level of MnBP than those in houses that vacuumed ≤3 days/week. This study demonstrates that the internal exposure level of phthalates in Japanese children was stable from 2012 to 2017. Our findings suggest that phthalate exposure in children is consistent. Thus, improvements in the indoor environment, such as frequent vacuuming, may reduce exposure. Biomonitoring of phthalates is critical for elucidating their possible health effects and developing mitigation strategies.

Associations of prenatal exposure to phthalates with measures of cognition in 7.5-month-old infants

BACKGROUND

Phthalates are endocrine disrupting chemicals that have been associated with adverse neurobehavior, but little is known about their influence on infant cognition.

METHODS

A visual recognition memory task was used to assess cognition in 244 7-8-month-old infants (121 females; 123 males) from a prospective cohort study. Phthalate metabolites were quantified in maternal urines pooled from across pregnancy. The task included familiarization trials (infant shown 2 identical faces) and test trials (infant shown the now familiar face paired with a novel one). Half of the infants saw one set of faces as familiar (set 1) and half saw the other set as familiar (set 2). During familiarization trials, average run duration (time looking at stimuli before looking away, measure of processing speed), and time to familiarization (time to reach 20 s looking at the stimuli, measure of attention) were assessed. During test trials, novelty preference (proportion of time looking at the novel face, measure of recognition memory) was assessed. Multivariable generalized linear models were used to assess associations of monoethyl phthalate (MEP), sum of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate metabolites (ΣDEHP), sum of di(isononyl) phthalate metabolites (ΣDINP), and sum of anti-androgenic phthalate metabolites (ΣAA) with each outcome.

RESULTS

Mothers were mostly white and college educated, and urine phthalate concentrations were similar to those in reproductive age women in the U.S.

POPULATION

All phthalate exposure biomarkers, except MEP, were associated with increases in average run duration. However, depending on the phthalate, associations were only in males or infants who saw the set 2 stimuli as familiar. Unexpectedly, ΣAA was associated with a shorter time to reach familiarization. Phthalate biomarkers also were associated with modest decrements in novelty preference, but these associations were nonsignificant.

CONCLUSION

Prenatal exposure to phthalates may be related to slower information processing and poorer recognition memory in infants.

Maternal Food and Beverage Consumption Behaviors and Discrepant Phthalate Exposure by Race

Background: Differential exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals, including phthalate diesters, may contribute to persistent racial/ethnic disparities in women’s reproductive health outcomes. We sought to characterize sources of gestational exposure to these agents that may differ according to maternal race. Methods: We enrolled pregnant Black (n = 198), including African American, and White (n = 197) women during the second trimester, and measured eight phthalate monoester metabolites in urine. We assessed confounder-adjusted associations between multiple food and beverage consumption habits, summarized using a principal component analysis, as predictors of maternal urinary phthalate metabolite levels, stratified by race. Results: Whites reported significantly greater unprocessed food consumption (42.5% vs. 32.0%; p < 0.001) and storage of food in clear unbreakable plastic containers (66.5% vs. 49.3%; p < 0.001) than Blacks, while Blacks consumed more canned fruits and vegetables (23.5% vs. 12.2%; p < 0.001) than Whites. Using plastics for food storage, microwaving in plastic containers, and using hard plastic water bottles was associated with urinary phthalate concentrations, especially DEHP metabolites (e.g., mean difference = 5.13%; 95% CI: 3.05, 7.25). These associations were driven primarily by Black pregnant women. Conclusions: Targeted interventions to reduce maternal exposure to phthalates need to be designed with specific attention to differences in food and beverage consumption behaviors among Black and White women.

Urinary phthalate metabolite concentrations and adolescent sleep duration

Some environmental chemicals, such as phthalates, are capable of disrupting endocrine function related to the development and regulation of sleep patterns. However, the contribution of phthalate exposure to inadequate sleep during adolescence is unknown. We aim to evaluate the association between phthalate exposure and short sleep duration during adolescence.

Associations of Prenatal Exposure to Phthalates with Measures of Cognition in 4.5-Month-Old Infants

The association of prenatal phthalate exposure with physical reasoning was assessed in 159 (78 female; 81 male) 4.5-month-old infants from a prospective cohort. Phthalate metabolites were quantified in urine from 16–18 gestational weeks and a pool of five urines from across pregnancy. Infants’ looking times to physically impossible and possible events were recorded via infrared eye-tracking. Infants that recognize that one of the events is impossible will look at that event longer. Associations of phthalate biomarkers with looking time differences (impossible–possible) were adjusted for maternal age, infant sex, and order of event presentation, and effect modification by infant sex was assessed. Each interquartile range (IQR) increase of monoethyl phthalate in the pooled sample was associated with females’ increased looking time (β = 1.0; 95%CI = 0.3, 1.7 s) to the impossible event. However, for males, an IQR increase in monoethyl phthalate at 16–18 weeks (β = −2.5; 95%CI = −4.4,−0.6 s), the sum of di(isononyl) phthalate metabolites in the pooled sample (β = −1.0; 95%CI = −1.8, −0.1 s), and the sum of all phthalate metabolites in both samples (β = −2.3; 95%CI = −4.4, −0.2 s) were associated with increased looking to the possible event, suggesting that higher prenatal phthalate exposure is associated with poorer physical reasoning in male infants.

Determinants of exposure levels of bisphenols in flemish adolescents

The broadly used industrial chemical bisphenol A (BPA), applied in numerous consumer products, has been under scrutiny in the past 20 years due to its widespread detection in humans and the environment and potential detrimental effects on human health. Following implemented restrictions and phase-out initiatives, BPA is replaced by alternative bisphenols, which have not received the same amount of research attention. As a part of the fourth cycle of the Flemish Environment and Health Study (FLEHS IV, 2016-2020), we monitored the internal exposure to six bisphenols in urine samples of 423 adolescents (14-15 years old) from Flanders, Belgium. All measured bisphenols were detected in the study population, with BPA and its alternatives bisphenol F (BPF) and bisphenol S (BPS) showing detection frequencies > 50%. The reference values show that exposure to these compounds is extensive. However, the urinary BPA level decreased significantly in Flemish adolescents compared to a previous cycle of the FLEHS (2008-2009). This suggests that the replacement of BPA with its analogues is ongoing. Concentrations of bisphenols measured in the Flemish adolescents were generally in the same order of magnitude compared to recent studies worldwide. Multiple regression models were used to identify determinants of exposure based on information on demographic and lifestyle characteristics of participants, acquired through questionnaires. Some significant determinants could be identified: sex, season, smoking behavior, educational level of the parents, recent consumption of certain foods and use of certain products were found to be significantly associated with levels of bisphenols. Preliminary risk assessment showed that none of the estimated daily intakes (EDIs) of BPA exceeded the tolerable daily intake, even in a high exposure scenario. For alternative bisphenols, no health-based guidance values are available, but in line with the measured urinary levels, their EDIs were lower than that of BPA. This study is, to the best of our knowledge, the first to determine internal exposure levels of other bisphenols than BPA in a European adolescent population.

Gestational Exposure to Phthalates and Social Responsiveness Scores in Children Using Quantile Regression: The EARLI and HOME Studies

Linear regression is often used to estimate associations between chemical exposures and neurodevelopment at the mean of the outcome. However, the potential effect of chemicals may be greater among individuals at the 'tails' of outcome distributions. Here, we investigated distributional effects on the associations between gestational phthalate exposure and child Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)-related behaviors using quantile regression. We harmonized data from the Early Autism Risk Longitudinal Investigation (EARLI) (n = 140) Study, an enriched-risk cohort of mothers who had a child with ASD, and the Health Outcomes and Measures of the Environment (HOME) Study (n = 276), a general population cohort. We measured concentrations of 9 phthalate metabolites in urine samples collected twice during pregnancy. Caregivers reported children's ASD-related behaviors using the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) at age 3-8 years; higher scores indicate more ASD-related behaviors. In EARLI, associations between phthalate concentrations and SRS scores were predominately inverse or null across SRS score quantiles. In HOME, positive associations of mono-n-butyl phthalate, monobenzyl phthalate, mono-isobutyl phthalate, and di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate concentrations with SRS scores increased in strength from the median to 95th percentile of SRS scores. These results suggest associations between phthalate concentrations and SRS scores may be stronger in individuals with higher SRS scores.

Comparative Analysis of Neurotoxicity of Six Phthalates in Zebrafish Embryos

The effects and underlying mechanisms of phthalates on neurotoxicity remain unclear as compared with the potentials of these substances as endocrine disruptors. The locomotor activities of zebrafish embryos were investigated upon exposure to six phthalates: dimethyl phthalate (DMP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), benzyl butyl phthalate (BBzP), di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), di-n-octyl phthalate (DnOP), and diisononyl phthalate (DiNP). Moreover, changes in fluorescence intensity in the green fluorescent protein (GFP) transgenic (Tg) lines Tg(HuC:eGFP), Tg(sox10:eGFP), and Tg(mbp:GFP) were measured after exposure to six phthalates, and changes in the expression profiles of genes involved in the cholinergic (ache) and dopaminergic systems (dat, th, and drd1b) were assessed. Exposure to BBzP, DEHP, and DiNP affected larval behaviors, whereas exposure to DMP, DEP, and DnOP revealed no alterations. A reduced expression of Tg(HuC:eGFP) was observed upon exposure to BBzP, DEHP, and DiNP. The expression of Tg(sox10:eGFP) and Tg(mbp:GFP) was reduced only in response to BBzP and DiNP, respectively. Further, exposure to DiNP upregulated ache and drd1b. The upregulation of ache and downregulation of drd1b was observed in DEHP-exposed groups. Exposure to BBzP suppressed th expression. These observations indicate that exposure to phthalates impaired embryogenesis of the neurological system and neurochemicals in zebrafish embryos, although the detailed mechanisms varied among the individual phthalates. Further mechanistic studies are needed to better understand the causality between phthalate exposure and neurotoxicity.

Short-term variability of bisphenols in spot, morning void and 24-hour urine samples

Due to worldwide regulations on the application of the high production volume industrial chemical bisphenol A (BPA) in various consumer products, alternative bisphenols such as bisphenol F (BPF) and bisphenol S (BPS) are increasingly used. To assess human exposure to these chemicals, biomonitoring of urinary concentrations is frequently used. However, the short-term variability of alternative bisphenols has not been evaluated thoroughly yet, which is essential to achieve a correct estimation of exposure. In this study, we collected all spot urine samples from ten healthy adults for five consecutive days, and an additional 24 h pooled sample. We measured the concentrations of seven bisphenols (BPAF, BPF, BPA, BPB, BPZ, BPS and BPAP) in these samples using gas chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry. BPA, BPF and BPS were frequently found in spot samples (>80%), while bisphenol AP (BPAP) was detected in 43% of spot samples. Calculations of intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs) showed that reproducibility of these four bisphenols was relatively poor (<0.01-0.200) but improved when concentrations were corrected for urine dilution using creatinine levels (0.128-0.401). Of these four bisphenols, BPF showed the best reproducibility (ICC 0.200-0.439) and BPS the most variability (ICC <0.01-0.128). In general, the within-participant variability of bisphenol levels was the largest contributor to the total variance (47-100%). We compared repeated first morning voids to 24 h pooled urine and found no significantly different concentrations for BPA, BPF, BPS, or BPAP. Levels of BPA and BPF differed significantly depending on the sampling time throughout the day. The findings in this study suggest that collecting multiple samples per participant over a few days, in predefined time windows throughout the day, could result in a more reliable estimation of internal exposure to bisphenols.

Prenatal maternal phthalate exposures and child lipid and adipokine levels at age six: A study from the PROGRESS cohort of Mexico City

BACKGROUND

Prenatal phthalate exposures may affect processes that underlie offspring cardiometabolic health, but findings from studies examining these associations are conflicting. We examined associations between biomarkers of phthalate exposures during pregnancy with child lipid and adipokine levels.

METHODS

Data were from 463 mother-child pairs in the PROGRESS cohort of Mexico City. We quantified 15 phthalate metabolites in 2nd and 3rd trimester maternal urine samples and created an average pregnancy measure using the geometric mean. We evaluated the 15 metabolites as nine biomarkers, including four metabolite molar sums. We measured fasting serum triglycerides, non-HDL cholesterol, leptin, and adiponectin in children at the six-year follow-up visit (mean = 6.8 years). We estimated associations using linear regression, Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR), and weighted quantile sum (WQS) and assessed effect modification by sex.

RESULTS

In BKMR and WQS models, higher concentrations of the total mixture of phthalate biomarkers were associated with lower triglycerides (β = -3.7% [-6.5, -0.78] per 1 unit increase in WQS biomarker index) and non-HDL cholesterol (β = -2.0 [-3.7, -0.25] ng/ml per increase in WQS biomarker index). Associations between individual biomarkers and child outcomes were largely null. We observed some evidence of effect modification by child sex for mono-3-carboxypropyl phthalate (β = 19.4% [1.26, 40.7] per doubling of phthalate) and monobenzyl phthalate (β = -7.6% [-14.4, -0.23]) in girls for adiponectin.

CONCLUSIONS

Individual prenatal phthalate biomarkers were not associated with child lipid or adipokine levels. Contrary to our hypothesis, the total phthalate mixture was associated with lower child triglycerides and non-HDL cholesterol.

Phthalate levels in urine of pregnant women and their associated missed abortion risk

Phthalates are one of the most common environmental endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in human contact. Prenatal phthalates exposure may adversely affect intrauterine growth, however, little is known about their association. This study aimed to explore the impact of phthalates on the risk of missed abortion. A total of 123 women with missed abortion (cases) and 148 normal pregnant women (controls) were simultaneously collected from Taiyuan, China. Four urinary phthalate metabolites were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Logistic regression model was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95 % confidence intervals (95 % CI) of missed abortion associated with phthalate metabolite levels. Four phthalate metabolites, including monomethyl phthalate (MMP), monoethyl phthalate (MEP), monobutyl phthalate (MBP), monobenzyl phthalate (MBzP), were detected in at least 78.97 % of all participants, with the highest geometric mean concentration of 147.19 ng/mL for MEP of the urine samples. Both MMP (Z = -3.898, P < 0.001) and MBP (Z = -2.198, P = 0.028) concentrations were higher in cases than in controls. There were no significant differences for MEP (Z = -0.285, P = 0.076) and MBzP (Z = -0.878, P = 0.380) concentrations between cases and controls. Furthermore, Logistic analysis revealed that each one-unit increase in log-transformed MMP (OR = 1.49, 95 % CI = 1.14-1.95) was positively associated with missed abortion. Increasing risks of missed abortion were observed the third quartile (Q3) and the highest quartile (Q4) of MMP(OR = 2.21, 95 % CI = 1.06-4.60; OR = 2.85, 95 % CI = 1.34-6.05) compared to the lowest quartile (Q1) of MMP concentrations. We concluded that prenatal phthalates exposure may contribute to an increased risk of missed abortion.

Between- and within-individual variability of urinary phthalate and alternative plasticizer metabolites in spot, morning void and 24-h pooled urine samples

Due to international regulations, commonly used phthalates such as di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) are being replaced by other phthalates, such as di-isononyl phthalate (DINP), and di-isodecyl phthalate (DIDP) and by alternative plasticizers (APs) with similar chemical characteristics, like di(isononyl)cyclohexane-1,2-dicarboxylate (DINCH), di(2-ethylhexyl) terephthalate (DEHTP), or di-(2-ethylhexyl) adipate (DEHA). Urinary concentrations of metabolites are frequently used in the exposure assessment of non-persistent chemicals and for biomonitoring purposes, the intra- and inter-day variability of the metabolites should be known. However, the short-term variability of AP and several phthalate biomarkers has not been investigated yet. In this study, we collected all spot samples from 10 healthy adults for 5 consecutive days and 24h pooled urine on one additional day to investigate the short-term variability of 22 biomarkers of phthalates and APs. Metabolites of DEP, DEHP, DiBP, DnBP, DBzP, DINP and DIDP were found in high detection frequencies, while metabolites of most APs were found in approximately 50% of the samples. The short-term reproducibility of metabolites with diet as primary source (DEHP, DINP, DIDP) was poor (intraclass correlation coefficient - ICC < 0.4), whereas biomarkers of DEP, DnBP, DiBP and BBzP showed good consistency, most likely due to more continuous sources resulting in less between-day variance. ICC values of AP metabolites were similar to those of DEHP, but more studies are required to confirm these findings. Overall, reproducibility improved considerably when values were corrected for urinary dilution and when only morning voids samples were considered. Levels in morning voids samples were consistent for 5 days and comparable to 24-h pooled urine for all metabolites except for OH-MEHTP, sum DINP and sum DIDP, which supports the use of morning voids in human biomonitoring studies.

Phthalate Exposure, Adolescent Health, and the Need for Primary Prevention

Phthalates, a class of endocrine-disrupting chemicals, are used widely in many consumer products, and exposure can interfere with a range of hormonal functions during early life. These disruptions may alter development during late childhood and adolescence. This article discusses the potential effects of phthalate exposure on adiposity, puberty, and neurodevelopment during late childhood and adolescence. It also highlights studies of behavioral interventions to reduce phthalate exposures and the roles of health care professionals and policy makers in preventing phthalate exposure.

The associations between personal care products use and urinary concentrations of phthalates, parabens, and triclosan in various age groups: The Korean National Environmental Health Survey Cycle 3 2015-2017

Phthalates and parabens are ubiquitous chemicals of public concern. This study aimed to investigate the use of personal care products (PCPs) as predictors of exposure to phthalates, parabens, and triclosan (TCS) among various age groups in a nationally representative population. The concentrations of eight phthalate metabolites, three parabens, and TCS were measured in a random spot urine sample in 5962 study participants (age range: 3-86 years). The information on PCPs use was obtained in seven categories over previous three months. The exposure risks to phthalates, parabens, and TCS were different according to the pattern of PCPs use in different age groups and gender. In adolescents and adults, females used all categories of PCPs more frequently than males, with statistical significance. The use rates of PCPs and the significant exposure risks to phthalates, parabens, and TCS associated with PCP use were more clearly observed in adults. The least square geometric means (LSGMs) of urinary methylparaben (MeP), ethylparaben (EtP), and propylparaben (PrP) steadily increased, as the cumulative number of used PCPs increased with statistical significance. The exposure risks to MeP were consistently observed with various PCPs use and showed a significant increase as the cumulative number of PCPs use increased in adults. Furthermore, the use of fragrance products, makeup, and air fresheners significantly increased the exposure risk to EtP in preschoolers. The significant exposure risk to mono-(3-carboxypropyl)- phthalate (MCPP) associated with nail polishes use was observed in preschoolers and adults. This study showed the associations between PCPs use and urinary concentrations of phthalates, parabens, and TCS in various age groups. Environmental health policies to reduce exposure to phthalates and parabens should be widely implemented, including industry regulations and increasing public awareness. Future studies are needed to explore other important exposure sources of these chemicals and their related adverse health effects.

Heavy is the Head That Wears the Crown: Black Men's Perspective on Harmful Effects of Black Women's Hair Product Use and Breast Cancer Risk

Racial disparities in breast cancer are well-documented, and Black women assume a disproportionate burden of breast cancer mortality. Black women also commonly use hair products containing endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) more often at an increased rate, as compared to other racial/ethnic groups. Emerging findings have reported the use of hair and other personal care products containing EDCs may contribute to breast cancer risk. While some sociocultural perspectives about hair and identity have been explored, the role of beauty expectations upheld by males has not been studied. Through a community-based participatory methodology, we explored perceptions and beliefs held by Black men regarding Black women's hair, chemical exposures in hair products, and breast cancer risk. Focus groups and key informant interviews-among men with and without partners with a history of breast cancer-were used to examine the male perspective regarding the attractiveness of Black hairstyles, opinions of beauty norms, and knowledge of breast cancer risk factors. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed guided by grounded theory methods. From the 66 participants interviewed, there was general support for natural hairstyles, which were associated with confidence and self-esteem in women. Men agreed that beauty standards and societal pressures play notable roles in the women's personal behaviors though they mostly lacked knowledge of women's breast cancer risk related to EDCs found in personal care products. Participants suggested a multipronged strategy centered on community education involving social and traditional media campaigns, and the engagement of policy makers in intervention efforts.

A combined cohort analysis of prenatal exposure to phthalate mixtures and childhood asthma

BACKGROUND

Previous studies of prenatal phthalate exposure and childhood asthma are inconsistent. These studies typically model phthalates as individual, rather than co-occurring, exposures. We investigated whether prenatal phthalates are associated with childhood wheeze and asthma using a mixtures approach.

METHODS

We studied dyads from two prenatal cohorts in the ECHO-PATHWAYS consortium: CANDLE, recruited 2006-2011 and TIDES, recruited 2011-2013. Parents reported child respiratory outcomes at age 4-6 years: ever asthma, current wheeze (symptoms in past 12 months) and current asthma (two affirmative responses from ever asthma, recent asthma-specific medication use, and/or current wheeze). We quantified 11 phthalate metabolites in third trimester urine and estimated associations with child respiratory outcomes using weighted quantile sum (WQS) logistic regression, using separate models to estimate protective and adverse associations, adjusting for covariates. We examined effect modification by child sex and maternal asthma.

RESULTS

Of 1481 women, most identified as White (46.6%) or Black (44.6%); 17% reported an asthma history. Prevalence of ever asthma, current wheeze and current asthma in children was 12.3%, 15.8% and 12.3%, respectively. Overall, there was no adverse association with respiratory outcomes. In sex-stratified analyses, boys' phthalate index was adversely associated with all outcomes (e.g., boys' ever asthma: adjusted odds ratio per one quintile increase in WQS phthalate index (AOR): 1.42; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.08, 1.85, with mono-ethyl phthalate (MEP) weighted highest). Adverse associations were also observed in dyads without maternal asthma history, driven by MEP and mono-butyl phthalate (MBP), but not in those with maternal asthma history. We observed protective associations between the phthalate index and respiratory outcomes in analysis of all participants (e.g., ever asthma: AOR; 95% CI: 0.81; 0.68, 0.96), with di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) metabolites weighted highest.

CONCLUSIONS

Results suggest effect modification by child sex and maternal asthma in associations between prenatal phthalate mixtures and child asthma and wheeze.

Maternal urinary concentrations of organophosphate ester metabolites: associations with gestational weight gain, early life anthropometry, and infant eating behaviors among mothers-infant pairs in Rhode Island

BACKGROUND

Organophosphate esters (OPEs)-used as flame retardants and plasticizers-are associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes such as reduced fecundity and live births and increased preterm delivery. OPEs may interfere with growth and metabolism via endocrine-disruption, but few studies have investigated endocrine-related outcomes. The objective of this pilot study (n = 56 mother-infant pairs) was to evaluate associations of OPEs with gestational weight gain (GWG), gestational age at delivery, infant anthropometry, and infant feeding behaviors.

METHODS

We quantified OPE metabolites (bis-2-chloroethyl phosphate [BCEP], bis (1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate [BDCPP], diphenyl phosphate [DPHP]) in pooled maternal spot urine collected throughout pregnancy (~ 12, 28, and 35 weeks' gestation). We obtained maternal sociodemographic characteristics from questionnaires administered at enrollment and perinatal characteristics from medical record abstraction. Trained research assistants measured infant weight, length, head and abdominal circumferences, and skinfold thicknesses at birth and 6 weeks postpartum. Mothers reported infant feeding behavior via the Baby Eating Behavior Questionnaire (BEBQ). Using multiple linear regression, we assessed associations of log2-transformed maternal urinary OPE metabolites with GWG, gestational age at delivery, infant anthropometry at birth, weekly growth rate, and BEBQ scores at 6 weeks postpartum. We used linear mixed effects (LME) models to analyze overall infant anthropometry during the first 6 weeks of life. Additionally, we considered effect modification by infant sex.

RESULTS

We observed weak positive associations between all OPE metabolites and GWG. In LME models, BDCPP was associated with increased infant length (β = 0.44 cm, 95%CI = 0.01, 0.87) and weight in males (β = 0.14 kg, 95%CI = 0.03, 0.24). BDCPP was also associated with increased food responsiveness (β = 0.23, 95%CI = 0.06, 0.40). DPHP was inversely associated with infant abdominal circumference (β = - 0.50 cm, 95%CI = - 0.86, - 0.14) and female weight (β = - 0.19 kg, 95%CI = - 0.36, - 0.02), but positively associated with weekly growth in iliac skinfold thickness (β = 0.10 mm/wk., 95%CI = 0.02, 0.19). Further, DPHP was weakly associated with increased feeding speed. BCEP was associated with greater infant thigh skinfold thickness (β = 0.34 mm, 95%CI = 0.16, 0.52) and subscapular skinfold thickness in males (β = 0.14 mm, 95%CI = 0.002, 0.28).

CONCLUSIONS

Collectively, these findings suggest that select OPEs may affect infant anthropometry and feeding behavior, with the most compelling evidence for BDCPP and DPHP.

Use of Personal Care Products and Semen Quality: A Cross-Sectional Study in Young Danish Men

Personal care products (PCPs) may contain multiple chemicals capable of harming male reproductive function. The aim of this study was, therefore, to assess aggregated PCP exposure and potential associations with measures of semen quality in young men. Participants (n = 1058, age 18–21) were sampled among young men from the Danish National Birth Cohort (DNBC). Upon recruitment in 2017–2019, each man answered an online questionnaire and provided a semen sample. Exposure to 12 common types of PCPs was derived from the questionnaire, and the extent of use and co-use was analyzed. We applied a negative binomial regression model to estimate percentage differences in semen parameters between low, medium and high PCP exposure groups. All participants were exposed to at least one PCP more than once a week, resulting in a mean number (SD) of 5.3 (2.0) PCPs currently used. Most participants (92%) were also exposed to fragranced products on a weekly basis. Little association was observed between aggregated exposure to PCPs and sperm concentration, total sperm count, semen volume, sperm motility and morphology. Despite prevalent use of multiple PCPs, we found little indication of adverse effects of aggregated overall or fragranced PCP exposure on semen quality.

Aggregate exposure assessment using cosmetic co-use scenarios: II. Application and validation for phthalates

Aggregate exposure assessments using co-use scenarios could provide more realistic estimations than single product exposure assessment. Co-use scenarios for cosmetic products were determined from a ranking of the frequency of occurrence of co-use patterns and the number of cosmetics used. We conducted aggregate exposure assessments using the co-use scenarios and validated the new methodology by comparing the results to those of a receptor-based aggregate exposure assessment. The aggregate exposures of di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP) and diethyl phthalate (DEP) in cosmetics were estimated by co-use scenarios for cosmetics. The co-use scenario-based AED increased with the number of cosmetics in the co-use scenarios, and was higher in female and younger groups. The major contributors in females were facial cream for DEHP, nail polish for DnBP, and shower cologne or perfume for DEP. The major contributors in males were body lotion for DEHP, facial sunscreen for DnBP, and hair styling product for DEP. The distribution of the co-use scenario based AEDs displayed a similar trend to that of the receptor-based AEDs, with the 95th percentiles of the AED slightly underestimated in the co-use scenario. The applied methodology could provide reasonable aggregate exposures with relatively few resources required.

Phthalate metabolites concentrations in amniotic fluid and maternal urine: Cumulative exposure and risk assessment

Phthalates are used in industry as plasticizers or additives in everyday products and they have been considered as endocrine disrupting chemicals. Maternal exposure during pregnancy has been associated with neonatal exposure, preterm birth and impacts in the reproductive and respiratory systems. The aim of this study is to determine six phthalate metabolites (mono isobutyl phthalate, miBP, mono n-butyl phthalate, mnBP, mono benzyl phthalate, mBzP, mono ethylhexyl phthalate, mEHP, mono 2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl phthalate, mEHHP, mono 2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl-phthalate, mEOHP) in amniotic fluid and urine from 100 pregnant women. Participants answered questionnaires for the use of plastics and cosmetics, dietary habits, health effects, pregnancy problems, health and infant development. Positive amniotic fluid samples ranged from 1% to 21% and urine from 27% to 54%. The median levels for amniotic fluid were 2.3 μg/L - 10.7 μg/L and for urine 4.9 μg/L - 46.7 μg/L. The major results include significant correlations between urinary phthalates indicating their common sources of exposure, the frequent use of deodorant was significantly associated with higher urinary miBP (p = 0.050) and mnBP (p = 0.028) and a weak inverse association was found for the use of make-up products with mBzP (p = 0.053). The frequent use of plastic food containers was significantly associated with urinary mEHP (p = 0.026), and a positive trend was noticed for mEHP in amniotic fluid (p = 0.093). An association although weak was found between urinary mEHP and lower birth length (rs = 0.396, p = 0.062). No other associations were found for infant health problems or development. The daily intake of the total phthalates was calculated 5.4 μg/kg body weight/day which corresponds to hazard index 0.10 and exposure follows the declining trend that has been observed the last decades.

Occupational Hazards and Risks Associated with Phthalates among Slovakian Firefighters

Despite increasing attention to the occupational risk of firefighters, little is known about phthalate exposure. In our study, we detected mono-isobutyl phthalate (MiBP), mono-n-buthyl phthalate (MnBP), mono(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate (5OH-MEHP), mono(2-ethyl-5-carboxypentyl) phthalate (5cx-MECPP), and mono(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate (5oxo-MEHP) in each urine sample. We detected positive association between MnBP, MiBP, mono-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (MEHP), 5OH-MEHP, 5oxo-MEHP, 5cx-MECPP, mono-isononyl phthalate (MiNP), the sum of low (∑LMWP) and high molecular-weight phthalates (∑HMWP). and Tiffeneau-Pinelli index (the ratio of forced expiratory volume in 1/ forced vital capacity; FEV₁/FVC; p = 0.001-0.04) and the percent predicted value (%PV) of FEV₁/FVC (p = 0.005-0.05) and negative association between MiNP and peak expiratory flow (PEF; r = -0.31; p = 0.084). We observed a positive association between phthalate metabolites (MnBP, 5OH-MEHP, 5oxo-MEHP, 5cx-MECPP, 2cx-MMHP, ∑LMWP, and ∑HMWP) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR; p = 0.003-0.09) and body shape index (ABSI; p = 0.039-0.09) and a negative association between MnBP, ∑LMWP, and hip circumference (p = 0.005-0.02). We detected association between concentrations of 5OH-MEHP, 5cx-MECPP, 5oxo-MEHP, and MnBP and consumption of food heating in plastic material in microwave (p = 0.02-0.04) and between probands who ate margarines and vegetable fat packed in plastic containers and concentration of MMP (p = 0.03). Results of multivariate regression indicated that exposure to phthalates could be linked with changing body structure, which subsequently affects values of pulmonary functions in firefighters.

Occurrence, biomagnification and maternal transfer of legacy and emerging organophosphorus flame retardants and plasticizers in water snake from an e-waste site

Water snake and small common carp samples collected from a Chinese pond polluted with electronic waste (e-waste) were analyzed for organophosphorus flame retardants (PFRs), PFR metabolites, and plasticizers to investigate their occurrence, biomagnification, and maternal transfer in ovoviviparous species. Mean concentrations of total PFRs, PFR metabolites, and plasticizers were 2.2-16, 1.3-2.8 and 151-1320 ng/g wet weight (ww), respectively in analyzed organisms. Metabolites of PFRs were found in the same order of magnitude as or even higher than their parent compounds, indicating the importance of monitoring metabolites to evaluate the internal exposure of PFRs in organisms. Biomagnification factors (BMFs) were below 1 for all targeted chemicals and negatively correlated with metabolite/parent ratios (MPRs), suggesting a biodilution driven by metabolism. The lipid normalized concentrations were lower in eggs than in muscle for most of targeted chemicals. The maternal transfer potential was significantly and positively correlated with log K_OW (p < 0.05) when log K_OW was below 6.

Monitoring of urinary phthalate metabolites among pregnant women in Isfahan, Iran: the PERSIAN birth cohort

Recently, increasing evidences have shown that the exposure to phthalates can adversely affect health status of pregnant women and their newborns. However, only a limited number of studies have investigated the concentrations of these compounds in the body fluids of pregnant women. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the concentrations of phthalate metabolites in urinary samples of pregnant women in correlation with the population characteristics and different lifestyle factors. The study was conducted in 2018-2019 and urinary samples were taken from 121 pregnant women during their first pregnancy trimester who lived in Isfahan, Iran. The concentrations of monobutyl phthalate (MBP), mono-benzyl phthalate (MBzP), mono-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (MEHP), and mono (2-ethyl-5hydroxyhexyl) phthalate (MEHHP) metabolites in urinary samples were determined by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The socio-demographic profile of the participants (maternal education, age, family income, pre-pregnancy BMI), their lifestyle information (smoking habit, food pattern, and physical activity), cleaning products use data (cosmetic and household cleaning products) were collected by the use of PERSIAN birth cohort questionnaire. MBzP, MBP, MEHP, and MEHHP were detected in 100% of participated pregnant women with the mean concentration of 342.5 ± 193.8, 308.5 ± 229.4, 126.5 ± 118.3, and 866.5 ± 307.6 μg/g creatinine, respectively. Significant correlations were observed between the mean concentration of urinary phthalate metabolites with the following variables: using plastic packaging (for bread, lemon juice, pickle, leftover, and water), lower physical activity, passive smoking exposure during pregnancy (p value<0.05). Furthermore, the pre-pregnancy BMI (r = 0.27, r = 0.3, r = 0.26, and r = 0.26), use of the household cleaning products (r = 0.2, r = 0.22, r = 0.3, and r = 0.26), utilize of the cosmetic products (r = 0.46, r = 0.48, r = 0.49, and r = 0.54), and passive smoking status (r = 0.5, r = 0.44, r = 0.44, and r = 0.26) directly correlated with the urinary concentrations of MBP, MBzP, MEHP, and MEHHP, respectively. No significant association was seen between the concentration of urinary phthalate metabolites with the maternal education level and family income. According to our findings, higher amounts of phthalate metabolites were detected in urinary samples of pregnant women who were passive smokers, or had higher pre-pregnancy BMI and lower physical activity, as well as those women who used higher amounts of cosmetic and household cleaning products, or used plastic packaging for food and non-food products.

Prenatal Exposure to Phthalates and Neurodevelopment in the CHAMACOS Cohort

BACKGROUND

Previous studies suggest that prenatal exposure to phthalates, ubiquitous synthetic chemicals, may adversely affect neurodevelopment. However, data are limited on how phthalates affect cognition, executive function, and behavioral function into adolescence.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to investigate associations of prenatal phthalate exposure with neurodevelopment in childhood and adolescence in the Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas (CHAMACOS) study.

METHODS

We examined associations between maternal urinary phthalate metabolite concentrations measured twice during pregnancy and a range of neurodevelopmental outcomes from ages 7 through 16 y in the CHAMACOS birth cohort (n=334). We used age-specific linear regression models and generalized estimating equation models to assess longitudinal effects and examined differences by sex.

RESULTS

Phthalate metabolites were detected in 88%-100% of samples, depending on the metabolite. Associations of phthalates with neurodevelopmental outcomes were largely null with some noteworthy patterns. Higher prenatal concentrations of metabolites of low-molecular weight phthalates (ΣLMW) were associated with more self-reported hyperactivity [β=0.8, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.1, 1.4 per 2-fold increase in ΣLMW phthalates], attention problems (β=1.5, 95% CI: 0.7, 2.2), and anxiety (β=0.9, 95% CI: 0.0, 1.8) at age 16. We observed sex-specific differences for the sums of high-molecular-weight and di(2-ethylhexyl) metabolites and cognitive outcomes (e.g., β for Full-Scale IQ for boys=-1.9, 95% CI: -4.1, 0.3 and -1.7, 95% CI: -3.8, 0.3, respectively; β for girls=1.8, 95% CI: 0.1, 3.4 and 1.6, 95% CI: 0.0, 3.2, respectively; p-int=0.01 for both).

CONCLUSION

We found predominantly null associations of prenatal phthalates with neurodevelopment in CHAMACOS, and weak associations of ΣLMW phthalates with internalizing and externalizing behaviors in adolescence. No previous studies have examined associations of prenatal phthalate exposure with neurodevelopment into adolescence, an important time for manifestations of effects. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP5165.

Associations of Trimester-Specific Exposure to Bisphenols with Size at Birth: A Chinese Prenatal Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

Bisphenol A (BPA) is an endocrine disruptor that affects fetal growth in experimental studies. Bisphenol F (BPF) and bisphenol S (BPS), which have been substituted for BPA in some consumer products, have also shown endocrine-disrupting effects in experimental models. However, the effects of BPF and BPS on fetal growth in humans are unknown.

OBJECTIVES

Our goal was to investigate trimester-specific associations of urinary concentrations of BPA, BPF, and BPS with size at birth.

METHODS

The present study included 845 pregnant women from Wuhan, China (2013-2015), who provided one urine sample in each of the first, second, and third trimesters. Linear regressions with generalized estimating equations were applied to estimate trimester-specific associations of urinary bisphenol concentrations with birth weight, birth length, and ponderal index. Linear mixed-effects models were used to identify potential critical windows of susceptibility to bisphenols by comparing the exposure patterns of newborns in the 10th percentile of each birth anthropometric measurement to that of those in the 90th percentile.

RESULTS

Medians (25th-75th percentiles) of urinary concentrations of BPA, BPF, and BPS were 1.40 (0.19-3.85), 0.65 (0.34-1.39), and 0.38 (0.13-1.11) ng/mL, respectively. Urinary BPA concentrations in different trimesters were inversely, but not significantly, associated with birth weight and ponderal index. Urinary concentrations of BPF and BPS during some trimesters were associated with significantly lower birth weight, birth length, or ponderal index, with significant trend p-values (ptrend<0.05) across quartiles of BPF and BPS concentrations. The observed associations were unchanged after additionally adjusting for other bisphenols. In addition, newborns in the 10th percentile of each birth anthropometry measure had higher BPF and BPS exposures during pregnancy than newborns in the 90th percentile of each outcome.

CONCLUSIONS

Prenatal exposure to BPF and BPS was inversely associated with size at birth in this cohort. Replication in other populations is needed. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP4664.

Exposure to Volatile Organic Compounds and Use of Feminine Hygiene Products Among Reproductive-Aged Women in the United States

Background: Feminine hygiene products (FHPs) are personal care products widely used by women. A few studies have detected some volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in FHPs, but no previous epidemiological studies have linked use of these products to human exposure to VOCs using biomarkers. Therefore, we evaluated whether the use of FHPs was associated with VOC exposures among reproductive-aged women in the United States. Materials and Methods: Data on 2432 women aged 20-49 years from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2001-2004 were utilized. Self-reported use of feminine products (tampons, sanitary napkins, vaginal douches, sprays, powders, wipes/towelettes, and other products) was obtained from questionnaires. Survey-weighted linear regression models were used to estimate percent changes in VOC whole blood concentrations and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: Black women had significantly more use of vaginal douching and significantly higher whole blood concentrations of 1,4-dichlorobenzene (DCB) (p < 0.0001). After adjusting for confounders, we observed a dose-response relationship between the frequency of vaginal douching in the past 6 months and 1,4-DCB concentrations. Compared with never users, women with occasional use (≤1 time/month) of vaginal douching had 18% (95% CI: -12% to 59%) higher concentrations, and those with frequent use (≥2 time/month) had 81% (95% CI: 2% to 221%) higher concentrations of 1,4-DCB (p for trend = 0.04). Use of feminine powder in the past month was significantly associated with 36% (95% CI: 0.4% to 83%) higher concentrations of ethylbenzene. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that differences in whole blood VOC concentrations might be explained by feminine hygiene practices. The presence of environmental chemicals in FHPs warrants further examination.

Couples exposure to phthalates and its influence on in vitro fertilization outcomes

This prospective study examined the associations between the levels of eight urinary phthalate metabolites in 599 couples and in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcomes. We used log-binomial multivariate regression to estimate relative risks (RR) for the association between phthalate concentration and IVF binary outcomes (fertilization rate >50%, biochemical pregnancy, clinical pregnancy and live birth) for each woman after adjusting the model for the concentration in a male partner and each relevant confounders. RR was expressed per unit increase in log-transformed urinary metabolite concentration. The percentage of bis-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) metabolites excreted as mono-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (MEHP) was calculated as %MEHP. Urinary MEHP in women was associated with an increased risk of biochemical pregnancy (RR = 1.35; p = 0.04), failed clinical pregnancy (RR = 1.56; p = 0.006) and live birth (RR = 1.54; p = 0.011). An increase in monoethyl phthalate was associated with a high risk of failed clinical pregnancy (RR = 1.25; p = 0.03) and live birth (RR = 1.35; p = 0.006). An increase in %MEHP was associated with an increase in the risk of biochemical pregnancy (RR = 1.55; p = 0.05), failed clinical pregnancy (RR = 1.73; p = 0.02) and live birth (RR = 1.65; p = 0.046). Our results demonstrated that exposure to some phthalates may adversely affect IVF outcomes, particularly when couples' exposure was jointly modeled, emphasizing the importance of a couple-based approach in assessing fertility outcomes. The associations between IVF outcomes and DEHP metabolites were stronger in women whose %MEHP was >75th percentile which may be due to their less efficient metabolism and excretion of DEHP and/or MEHP.

Pharmacologic and Environmental Endocrine Disruptors in the Pathogenesis of Hypospadias: a Review

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) potentially have a role in causing hypospadias malformation through modifiable in-utero exposure. Considering the emerging literature on the role of potential endocrine disrupting substances on the occurrence of hypospadias and the potential to inform public health efforts to prevent the occurrence of these malformations, we have summarized the current literature, identified areas of consensus, and highlighted areas that warrant further investigation.

RECENT FINDINGS

Pharmaceuticals, such as diethylstilbestrol, progestin fertility treatments, corticosteroids, and valproic acid, have all been associated with hypospadias risk. Data on exposure to dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane and hexachlorobenzene pesticides, as well as non-persistent pollutants, particularly phthalates, is less consistent but still compelling. Improving exposure assessment, standardizing sample timing to relevant developmental windows, using clear case identification and classification schemes, and elucidating dose-response relationships with EDCs will help to provide clearer evidence. Promising directions for future research include identification of subgroups with genetic hypospadias risk factors, measurement of intermediate outcomes, and study of EDC mixtures that will more accurately represent the total fetal environment.

Association between gestational urinary bisphenol a concentrations and adiposity in young children: The MIREC study

BACKGROUND

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a high production volume chemical and because of its use in many consumer products, exposure is ubiquitous. Gestational BPA exposure has been associated with excess adiposity in rodent studies, but not consistently in human studies. We investigated the relation between gestational BPA exposure and early childhood adiposity in a prospective cohort study of 719 mother-child pairs.

METHODS

We used data from the MIREC Study, a prospective Pan-Canadian pregnancy and birth cohort study. We measured BPA in urine samples collected at an average of 12.1 weeks (range: 6.3-15 weeks) gestation and measured children's weight, height, waist/hip circumference, and subscapular/triceps skinfold thickness at an average age of 3.5 years (range: 1.9-6.2). We estimated covariate-adjusted associations of log2-transformed BPA concentrations with child adiposity measures and examined whether these associations differed in boys and girls.

RESULTS

Median BPA concentrations were 0.8 ng/mL (IQR: 0.5-1.4). Among both boys and girls, each 2-fold increase in BPA concentrations was associated with higher waist-to-hip ratio (β: 0.003; 95% CI: 0.001, 0.005). The association of BPA with waist circumference and subscapular skinfold thickness was modified by sex (sex x BPA interaction p-values<0.2). In girls, each 2-fold increase in BPA concentrations was associated with a 0.2 cm (95% CI: 0.0, 0.5) and 0.15 mm (95% CI: 0.01, 0.30) increase in waist circumference and subscapular skinfolds, respectively. Associations were generally null or slightly inverse in boys.

CONCLUSIONS

In this cohort, gestational urinary BPA concentrations were associated with subtle increases in girl's central adiposity during early childhood.

The extent and predictors of phthalate exposure among couples undergoing in vitro fertilization treatment

Phthalates are chemicals used as plasticizers and solvents in many consumer products but are suspected of disrupting the endocrine system and are known for their reproductive/developmental health risks. This study examined the extent and predictors of phthalate exposure among 599 couples undergoing in vitro fertilization. A questionnaire was administered to obtain sociodemographic, health, and lifestyle data, and two spot urine samples were collected from the couples to analyze eight phthalate metabolites, cotinine (COT) as a smoking index, and creatinine to adjust for urine dilution. Seven phthalate metabolites were detected in > 94% of the urine samples, and monobenzyl phthalate (MBzP) was found in 24% of the women and 26% of their male partners. Median phthalate levels were highest for monoethyl phthalate (MEP), at 333.26 μg/l in women and 290 μg/l in male partners, and lowest for MBzP, at 1.17 μg/l in women and 1.14 μg/l in male partners. Correlation coefficients of ≥ 0.4 between the women and their male partners for the eight urinary phthalate metabolites may indicate a shared source of exposure. A multivariate regression model was used to assess the association between predictors and each urinary phthalate metabolite. Several potential predictors for the variations in specific urinary phthalate metabolites were identified, including the body mass index, age, socioeconomic status, and regional distribution for both women and their male partners but with slightly different patterns. Women with a history of breastfeeding, using bottled water for cooking and storing food in plastic bags had lower MEP (8.7%), mono-(2-ethyl-5-carboxypentyl) phthalate (MECPP) (9.2%), and both mono-iso-butyl phthalate and MECPP (8.2 and 8.1%). A history of contraceptive use was associated with an increase in MECPP (8.7%), mono-(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate (11.4%), mono-(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate (7.6%), and the molar sum of bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate metabolites (8.9%). Urinary COT levels were associated with an increase of 10-16% in all urinary metabolites in women but of only 10.5% in mono-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate in male partners. More than 95% of the couples reported the use of cosmetics, perfumes, and personal-care products, but we were not able to find associations with urinary phthalate metabolites, perhaps due to their short half-lives. MEP levels associated with the use of household cleaning products were 11.2% higher in male partners. Our levels were generally higher than those reported elsewhere, perhaps due to different lifestyles, cultural practices, dietary habits, use of personal-care products, and governmental legislation.

A Review of Biomonitoring of Phthalate Exposures

Phthalates (diesters of phthalic acid) are widely used as plasticizers and additives in many consumer products. Laboratory animal studies have reported the endocrine-disrupting and reproductive effects of phthalates, and human exposure to this class of chemicals is a concern. Several phthalates have been recognized as substances of high concern. Human exposure to phthalates occurs mainly via dietary sources, dermal absorption, and air inhalation. Phthalates are excreted as conjugated monoesters in urine, and some phthalates, such as di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), undergo secondary metabolism, including oxidative transformation, prior to urinary excretion. The occurrence of phthalates and their metabolites in urine, serum, breast milk, and semen has been widely reported. Urine has been the preferred matrix in human biomonitoring studies, and concentrations on the order of several tens to hundreds of nanograms per milliliter have been reported for several phthalate metabolites. Metabolites of diethyl phthalate (DEP), dibutyl- (DBP) and diisobutyl- (DiBP) phthalates, and DEHP were the most abundant compounds measured in urine. Temporal trends in phthalate exposures varied among countries. In the United States (US), DEHP exposure has declined since 2005, whereas DiNP exposure has increased. In China, DEHP exposure has increased since 2000. For many phthalates, exposures in children are higher than those in adults. Human epidemiological studies have shown a significant association between phthalate exposures and adverse reproductive outcomes in women and men, type II diabetes and insulin resistance, overweight/obesity, allergy, and asthma. This review compiles biomonitoring studies of phthalates and exposure doses to assess health risks from phthalate exposures in populations across the globe.

Immunomodulatory effects of synthetic endocrine disrupting chemicals on the development and functions of human immune cells

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are added to food, cosmetics, plastic packages, and children's toys and have thus become an integral part of the human environment. In the last decade, there has been increasing interest in the effect of EDCs on human health, including their impact on the immune system. So far, researchers have proved that EDCs (e.g. bisphenols, phthalates, triclosan, phenols, propanil, tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin, diethylstilbestrol, tributyltin (TBT), and parabens) affect the development, functions, and lifespan of immune cells (e.g., monocytes, neutrophils, mast cells, eosinophils, lymphocytes, dendritic cells, and natural killers). In this review, we have summarized the current knowledge of the multivariable influence of EDCs on immune cells and underlined the novel approach to EDC studies, including dose-dependent effects and low-dose effects. We discuss critically the possible relationship between exposure to EDCs and immunity related diseases (e.g. allergy, asthma, diabetes, and lupus). Moreover, based on the literature, we construct a model of possible mechanisms of EDC action on immune cells at cellular, molecular, and epigenetic levels.

Predictors of urinary phthalate biomarker concentrations in postmenopausal women

BACKGROUND

Phthalates are ubiquitous endocrine disrupting chemicals present in a wide variety of consumer products. However, the personal characteristics associated with phthalate exposure are unclear.

OBJECTIVES

We sought to describe personal, behavioral, and reproductive characteristics associated with phthalate metabolite concentrations in an ongoing study nested within the Women's Health Initiative (WHI).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We measured thirteen phthalate metabolites in two or three archived urine samples collected in 1993-2001 from each of 1257 WHI participants (2991 observations). We fit multivariable generalized estimating equation models to predict urinary biomarker concentrations from personal, behavioral, and reproductive characteristics.

RESULTS

Older age was predictive of lower concentrations of monobenzyl phthalate (MBzP), mono-carboxyoctyl phthalate (MCOP), mono-3-carboxypropyl phthalate (MCPP), and the sum of di-n-butyl phthalate metabolites (ΣDBP). Phthalate metabolite concentrations varied by race/region, with generally higher concentrations observed among non-Whites and women from the West region. Higher neighborhood socioeconomic status predicted lower MBzP concentrations, and higher education predicted lower monoethyl phthalate (MEP) and higher concentrations of the sum of metabolites of di-isobutyl phthalate (ΣDiBP). Overweight/obesity predicted higher MBzP, MCOP, monocarboxynonyl phthalate (MCNP), MCPP, and the sum of metabolites of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (ΣDEHP) and lower MEP concentrations. Alcohol consumption predicted higher concentrations of MEP and ΣDBP, while current smokers had higher ΣDBP concentrations. Better diet quality as assessed by Healthy Eating Index 2005 scores predicted lower concentrations of MBzP, ΣDiBP, and ΣDEHP.

CONCLUSION

Factors predictive of lower biomarker concentrations included increased age and healthy behaviors (e.g. lower alcohol intake, lower body mass index, not smoking, higher quality diet, and moderate physical activity). Racial group (generally higher among non-Whites) and geographic regions (generally higher in Northeast and West compared to South regions) also were predictive of phthalate biomarker concentrations.

Personal care products use and phthalate exposure levels among pregnant women

BACKGROUND

Fetuses are susceptible to phthalates, known endocrine disrupting chemicals, within sensitive windows of development. It is crucial to determine the major sources of phthalates to reduce exposure. This study aims to examine the associations between usage patterns of personal care products (PCPs) and urinary levels of phthalate metabolites across pregnancy in a multi-hospital based birth cohort.

METHODS

During 2012-2015, we conducted a birth cohort study named the Taiwan Mother Infant Cohort Study (TMICS). Usage patterns of PCPs were obtained using structured questionnaires during the third trimester of pregnancy. Spot urine samples were collected at each trimester, and levels of eleven phthalate metabolites were measured by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. The association of PCPs use with urinary phthalate metabolite concentrations was assessed using GEE models.

RESULTS

Among the 1676 pregnant women participated in TMICS, 281 who provided two or three urine samples across pregnancy were included. The levels of several phthalate metabolites were significantly associated with the use of PCPs, particularly leave-on PCPs. With the increasing use of skin toners (11.7%; 95% CI: 1.5%, 22.9%), lipsticks (13.2%; 95% CI: 4.6%, 22.5%), and essential oils (21.8%; 95% CI: 9.1%, 36.0%), individuals are exposed to higher concentrations of mono-ethyl phthalate (MEP). Additionally, a positive trend was found regarding the number of leave-on PCPs used and the measured change in MEP concentrations (P for trend = 0.01). Other positive associations included MBzP and body lotions (7.9%; 95% CI: 0.1%, 16.2%). With regard to rinse-off PCPs, we found a positive association between urinary MBzP and shampoo use, and a negative association between urinary MMP and face wash.

CONCLUSION

Leave-on PCPs were found to be a more probable source of phthalate exposure than the use of rinse-off PCPs. We suggest pregnant women reduce the frequency of leave-on PCPs use during pregnancy to avoid such phthalate exposure.

Personal care product use as a predictor of urinary concentrations of certain phthalates, parabens, and phenols in the HERMOSA study

Use of personal care products, such as makeup, soaps, and sunscreen, may expose adolescent girls to potential endocrine disruptors, including phthalates, parabens, and other phenols. We evaluated the relationship between recent self-reported personal care product use and concentrations for urinary metabolites of phthalates, parabens, triclosan, and benzophenone-3 (BP-3) in 100 Latina adolescents. Girls who reported using makeup every day vs. rarely/never had higher urinary concentrations of monoethyl phthalate (MEP) (102.2 ng/mL vs. 52.4 ng/mL, P-value: 0.04), methyl paraben (MP) (120.5 ng/mL vs. 13.4 ng/mL, P-value < 0.01), and propyl paraben (PP) (60.4 ng/mL vs. 2.9 ng/mL, P-value < 0.01). Girls who reported recent use of specific makeup products, including foundation, blush, and mascara, had higher urinary concentrations of MEP, mono-n-butyl phthalate (MBP), MP, and PP. Use of Colgate Total toothpaste was associated with 86.7% higher urinary triclosan concentrations. Use of sunscreen was associated with 57.8% higher urinary concentrations of BP-3. Our findings suggest that personal care product use is associated with higher exposure to certain phthalates, parabens, and other phenols in urine. This may be especially relevant in adolescent girls who have high use of personal care products during a period of important reproductive development.

Phthalate metabolite exposures among immigrants living in the United States: findings from NHANES, 1999-2014

Phthalates exposure has been linked to multiple health risks, and US immigrants may have different exposures to phthalates due to lifestyle differences. Urinary concentrations of eight phthalate metabolites (mono-ethyl phthalate [MEP], mono-n-butyl phthalate [MnBP], mono-isobutyl phthalate [MiBP], mono-(3-carboxypropyl) phthalate [MCPP], mono-benzyl phthalate [MBzP], mono-2-ethylhexyl phthalate [MEHP], mono-(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate [MEHHP], mono-(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate [MEOHP]) were measured in 10318 US-born and 3511 foreign-born individuals from NHANES 1999-2014. Using multivariate adjusted linear regression, we assessed whether phthalate metabolite levels differed by nativity in the whole population, within racial/ethnic groups, and by years in the US. We also tested whether immigrant demographics predicted phthalate metabolite levels. In fully adjusted models, MEP, MnBP, and MiBP were significantly higher, and MBzP significantly lower, among immigrants than US-born participants. Among immigrants, MnBP and MiBP significantly declined with longer time in the US (P_trend = 0.029 and P_trend = 0.039, respectively), while MCPP and MBzP significantly rose (P_trend = 0.019 and P_trend = 0.043, respectively). Results within each racial/ethnic group were consistent with the whole population. Among immigrants, women had significantly higher metabolite levels than men (all p < 0.01), and MEP, MnBP, and MCPP differed by race/ethnicity. Due to higher phthalate exposures, immigrants may be especially vulnerable to phthalate-associated health problems.

Gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric analysis of sunscreens and their effects on mice liver and kidney enzyme function

Background

Sunscreens are one of the most widely used products among cosmetics and personal care products. Recent studies have shown that some of sunscreen formulations may contain toxic, carcinogenic, or even nonallowed chemicals that may affect skin, cells, and hormones.

Materials and methods

This study aimed to develop and validate a method that allows the determination of sunscreen ingredients by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Analysis of original sunscreen products (n=5) from a licensed pharmacy and counterfeit sunscreen products (n=5) from local markets in Jordan was performed using GC-MS. pH stability of the sunscreen samples were also monitored under different storage temperatures. Topical application of sunscreens on mice skin was conducted to study their effects on liver and kidney enzymes' function.

Results

In terms of pH stability, there is a significant change in pH at different degrees of temperature between the products. Diethyl phthalate (DEP) was detected in two counterfeit products and was not mentioned on the ingredients' label. DEP was reported for its percutaneous absorption and systemic uptake in the literature. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were significantly increased with a P<0.005 in some groups treated with original sunscreens under sun radiation. Creatinine showed a significant decrease in some groups treated with original and counterfeit sunscreens, while blood urea nitrogen (BUN) showed no differences.

Conclusion

This study presents a method that allows the scanning and profiling of sunscreen ingredients as well as investigates their stability, permeation, and toxicity. Profiling of sunscreen product, changing in pH stability, and analyzing kidney and liver enzymes' level would be of a great impact on products' safety and consumers' health.

Exposure to chromium during pregnancy and longitudinally assessed fetal growth: Findings from a prospective cohort

BACKGROUND

Prenatal exposure to chromium may be associated with reduced birth weight; however, critical windows of such exposure for fetal growth are unclear.

OBJECTIVE

Our study was aimed to assess trimester-specific associations of chromium exposure with fetal growth parameters measured repeatedly by ultrasound and birth size, and to see whether these associations were modified by fetal sex.

METHODS

We conducted a prospective cohort of 3041 women in Wuhan, China, from 2013 to 2016. Chromium concentrations were measured in maternal urine samples collected in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd trimesters using an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. We calculated standard deviation scores for ultrasound measured head circumference, abdominal circumference (AC), femur length, and estimated fetal weight (EFW) at 16, 24, and 31 weeks of gestation. Linear regressions with generalized estimating equations were used to estimate the associations of specific gravity-adjusted urinary chromium concentrations in each trimester with fetal growth parameters and birth weight, birth length, and ponderal index.

RESULTS

Inverse associations of chromium exposure in the 1st trimester with fetal growth parameters at 31 weeks of gestation were observed, resulting in significant reductions in AC of -5.4% (95% confidence interval [CI]: -9.6%, -1.2%) and EFW of -5.6% (95% CI: -9.8%, -1.4%) per unit increase in natural logarithm transformed urinary chromium concentration. Urinary chromium concentration in the 2nd trimester was also associated with reductions in AC of -7.0% (95% CI: -12.5%, -1.4%) and in EFW of -5.0% (95% CI: -10.6%, 0.6%) at 31 weeks, and these inverse associations were evident in boys (reduction in AC of -13.9% [95% CI: -21.1%, -6.7%]; EFW of -9.5% [95% CI: -16.9%, -2.0%]) but not in girls (increase in AC of 2.9% [95% CI: -5.7%, 11.5%]; EFW of 1.5% [95% CI: -6.8%, 9.8%]) (both p_ineraction < 0.05). Moreover, one-unit increase in urinary chromium concentrations in the 1st and 2nd trimesters were both associated with significant reductions in ponderal index of -0.11 kg/m³ (95% CI: -0.19, -0.03 kg/m³) and -0.15 kg/m³ (95% CI: -0.27, -0.03 kg/m³), respectively.

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest that chromium may be a toxic metal for fetal growth. Early and mid-pregnancy seem to be the most vulnerable period for fetal exposure to chromium, but these results need further confirmation.

Phthalate exposure and childhood overweight and obesity: Urinary metabolomic evidence

OBJECTIVE

Metabolomics may unravel global metabolic changes in response to environmental exposures and identify important biological pathways involved in the pathophysiology of childhood obesity. Phthalate has been considered an obesogen and contributing to overweight and obesity in children. The purpose of this study is to evaluate changes in urine metabolites in response to the environmental phthalate exposure among overweight or obese children, and to investigate the metabolic mechanisms involved in the obesogenic effect of phthalate on children at puberty.

METHODS

Within the national Puberty Timing and Health Effects in Chinese Children (PTHEC) study, 69 overweight/obese children and 80 normal weight children were selected into the current study according to their puberty timing and WGOC (The Working Group for obesity in China) references. Urinary concentrations of six phthalate monoesters (MMP, MEP, MnBP, MEHP, MEOHP and MEHHP) were measured using API 2000 electrospray triple quadrupole mass spectrometer (ESIMS/MS). Metabolomic profiling of spot urine was performed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Differentially expressed urinary metabolites associated with phthalate monoesters exposure were examined using orthogonal partial least square-discriminant analysis and multiple linear regression models. In addition, the candidate metabolites were regressed to obesity indices with multiple linear regression models and logistic regression models in all subjects.

RESULTS

Compared with normal weight children, higher levels of MnBP were detected in urinary samples of children with overweight and obesity. After adjusting for confounders including chronological age, gender, puberty onset, daily energy intake and physical activity and socio-economic level, positive association remained between urinary MnBP concentration and childhood overweight/obesity [OR = 1.586, 95% CI:1.043,2.412]. We observed elevated MnBP concentration was significantly correlated with increased levels of monostearin, 1-monopalmitin, stearic acid, itaconic acid, glycerol 3-phosphate, 5-methoxytryptamine, kyotorphin, 1-methylhydantoin, d-alanyl-d-alanine, pyrrole-2-carboxylic acid, 3,4-Dihydroxyphenylglycol, and butyraldehyde. Meanwhile, increased MnBP concentration was also significantly correlated with decreased levels of lactate, glucose 6-phosphate, d-fructose 6-phosphate, palmitic acid, 4-acetamidobutyric acid, l-glutamic acid, n-acetyl-l-phenylalanine, iminodiacetic acid, hydroxyproline, pipecolinic acid, l-ornithine, n-acetyl-l-glutamic acid, guanosine, cytosin, and (s)-mandelic acid in the normal weight subjects. The observations indicated that MnBP exposure was related to global urine metabolic abnormalities characterized by disrupting arginine and proline metabolism and increasing oxidative stress and fatty acid reesterification. Among the metabolic markers related to MnBP exposure, 1-methylhydantoin, pyrrole-2-carboxylic acid and monostearin were found to be positively correlated with obesity indices, while hydroxyproline, l-ornithine, and lactate were negatively associated with overweight/obesity in children.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggested that the disrupted arginine and proline metabolism associated with phthalate exposure might contribute to the development of overweight and obesity in school-age children, providing insights into the pathophysiological changes and molecular mechanisms involved in childhood obesity.

Short-term toxicity of dibutyl phthalate to mice intestinal tissue

The objective of this study was to investigate changes in intestinal histopathology and expression of heat-shock proteins (HSPs) in the small intestinal tissue of mouse after acute exposure to dibutyl phthalate (DBP). Forty-eight 60-day-old Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) mice were administered DBP by gavage once a day for 10 days. The mice were divided into three groups of 16 mice each: the high-dose group was administered 500 mg/kg body weight (BW) DBP; the low-dose group was administered 50 mg/kg BW; and the control group was not administered DBP. Significant increases in the uterine index, ovary index, and testicular index were observed in the DBP-exposed groups compared to those in the control group. Villus height and V/ C ratio significantly increased ( p < 0.05) in the duodenum and decreased ( p < 0.05) in the jejunum after the administration of DBP. The goblet cell number decreased in both the duodenum and the jejunum of mice exposed to DBP ( p < 0.05) compared to the number in the control group mice. Damage to the structure of the small intestine was accompanied by a marked increase in HSP27 expression and a decrease in the expression of HSP70 and HSP90 in both high-dose and low-dose groups. These results indicate that elevated HSP27 levels in the duodenum and jejunum may be important markers for acute DBP exposure and that HSP27 may act as a protective protein involved in intestinal mucosa repair.

Urinary concentrations of phthalate metabolites associated with changes in clinical hemostatic and hematologic parameters in pregnant women

BACKGROUND

Exposure to phthalates, one kind of widely used plasticizers, has been demonstrated to be associated with some clinical hematological changes in circulatory system from animal studies and in vitro experiments, but their relations to hemostatic and hematologic changes in human are unknown.

OBJECTIVES

We explored the relationships of urinary phthalate metabolites with clinical hemostatic and hematologic parameter changes in pregnant women.

METHODS

The present study population included 1482 pregnant women drawn from an ongoing prospective birth cohort study in Wuhan, China. Eight urinary phthalate metabolites and eight blood clinical parameters, including activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), prothrombin time (PT), thrombin time (TT), fibrinogen (Fg), total white blood cell counts (WBC), red blood cell counts (RBC), hemoglobin (Hb), and platelet counts (PLT) were measured in the late third trimester. The associations between phthalate metabolites and blood parameters were analyzed using general linear model. The odds ratios (ORs) for anemia during pregnancy associated with phthalates were also explored by using logistic regression models.

RESULTS

After adjustment for false discovery rate, a significantly negative association between ln-transformed urinary mono-ethyl phthalate (MEP) concentration and blood Fg, and a positive association between urinary mono-butyl phthalate (MBP) and APTT were found in this study. Higher concentrations of mono-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP), mono-(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate (MEOHP) and mono-(2-ethyl-5-carboxypentyl) phthalate (MECPP) were associated with lower Hb concentrations. In addition, higher levels of MEHP, MEOHP and MECPP were also associated with increased likelihood of anemia. No significant associations were found between phthalates and other hematologic parameters.

CONCLUSIONS

Higher urinary phthalate metabolites in late third trimester were associated with prolonged blood clotting time, decreased Hb concentrations, and increased likelihood of anemia in pregnant women. Further research is needed to replicate the observed findings and clarify the potential biological mechanism.

Effects of trimester-specific exposure to vanadium on ultrasound measures of fetal growth and birth size: a longitudinal prospective prenatal cohort study

BACKGROUND

Identification of windows of heightened vulnerability to environmental factors has substantial public health implications. Prenatal exposure to vanadium has been linked to adverse birth outcomes; however, critical windows for such exposure during fetal growth remain unknown. We aimed to assess trimester-specific associations of vanadium exposure with ultrasound measures of fetal growth and birth size in a Chinese longitudinal cohort.

METHODS

The present study was embedded in our ongoing prospective prenatal cohort study at the Wuhan Women and Children Medical Care Center (Wuhan, Hubei, China). Pregnant women were eligible for inclusion if they provided signed informed consent and were less than 16 weeks pregnant with a single gestation, and agreed to take in-person interviews, undergo ultrasound examinations, and provide blood and urine samples. We collected urine samples and measured urinary vanadium concentrations using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. We calculated SD scores for ultrasound-measured biparietal diameter, head circumference, occipitofrontal diameter, abdominal circumference, femur length, and estimated fetal weight at 16, 24, and 31 weeks of gestation. We applied linear regressions with generalised estimating equations to estimate associations of urinary vanadium concentrations in each trimester with ultrasound-measured fetal growth parameters or neonatal size at birth.

FINDINGS

As of Oct 12, 2016, we recruited 3075 women who were non-smokers and non-drinkers during pregnancy, provided up to three urine samples during the first, second, and third trimesters, and gave birth to live singletons without birth defects. We excluded women who did not provide information on ultrasound measurements (n=20) or who only had one ultrasound measurement of fetal crown-rump length at the first trimester (n=14). We excluded another 16 women because they had missing values for confounding variables, leaving 3025 women retained in the study. Every doubling of urinary vanadium concentration in the first trimester was associated with a significant increase in femur length (adjusted percentage change 6·4%, 95% CI 0·7 to 12·1) at 16 weeks of gestation and reductions in biparietal diameter (-4·2%, -8·2 to -0·1), head circumference (-6·0%, -10·1 to -1·9), occipitofrontal diameter (-5·7%, -9·9 to -1·5), and abdominal circumference (-5·3%, -9·4 to -1·2) at 31 weeks of gestation. Every doubling of urinary vanadium concentration in the second trimester was significantly associated with reductions in SD scores for head circumference (-7·2%, -14·1 to -0·3) and abdominal circumference (-6·9%, -13·8 to -0·1) at 31 weeks of gestation. The highest quartile of urinary vanadium concentration (>1·18 μg/L) in the first trimester, when compared with the lowest quartile (≤0·60 μg/L), was associated with a mean decrease in birthweight of 12·6 g (95% CI 2·5-22·8; p_trend=0·0055) and a mean decrease in ponderal index of 0·07 kg/m³ (0·01-0·12; p_trend=0·0053). Moreover, newborns with restricted birth size had higher vanadium exposure in the first and third trimesters.

INTERPRETATION

Vanadium might be toxic to humans and impair fetal growth. The first, early second, and late third trimesters could be critical windows for heightened vulnerability to vanadium for fetal growth. Our findings require further investigation in other populations.

FUNDING

National Key R&D Plan of China, National Natural Science Foundation of China, and Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, Huazhong University of Science and Technology.

A possible approach to improving the reproducibility of urinary concentrations of phthalate metabolites and phenols during pregnancy

In epidemiologic studies, classifying episodic exposures to chemicals with short half-lives, such as phthalates and phenols, is challenging. We assessed whether accounting for sources of variability unrelated to exposure pathways would improve the reproducibility of urine concentrations of select phthalate metabolites and phenols. In 2011, a subset of pregnant women (n = 19) enrolled in a prospective study provided first morning urine samples every 3-4 weeks between 16 and 36 weeks gestation. At the time of collection, we identified potential contributors to variations in urinary concentrations: weight gain, gestational age, time slept, time since awoke, time since last food/drink, and time since last void. We estimated intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) among repeat urine concentrations with and without adjustment for sources of variability using a random intercept linear mixed model. Concentrations of monoethyl phthalate, butyl, and propyl parabens were the most reproducible (ICCs: 0.68, 0.56, and 0.56, respectively). However, adjustment for potential sources of variability unrelated to exposure pathways did not materially improve reproducibility nor the ability of a single sample to predict exposure based on average biomarker concentrations across pregnancy. Future studies should carefully consider the exposure timeframe and the reliability of using biomarker concentrations from a single time point to represent exposures over pregnancy.

Phthalates contamination in China: Status, trends and human exposure-with an emphasis on oral intake

Despite the extensive production and use of phthalates in Asian countries, especially China, limited information is available about the current situation of human exposure in this region, and thus identification of further research needs is warranted. This review summarized the current trends of phthalates related to industrial production and human exposure by conducting a comprehensive assessment of phthalates contaminations in air, indoor dust, personal care products (PCPs), foodstuff and internal exposure in China, with comparisons with other countries. The concentrations of phthalates in indoor dust and PCPs in China were moderate, while concentrations in foods and air were among the highest worldwide. Dietary intake of phthalates varied with location, with hotspots in the southern and eastern coastal regions of China which correlated with the extensive industrial production recorded in these regions. This review firstly revealed the significantly differentiated food-type contribution profiles for phthalates in China and in other countries, which were affected by dietary habits and food contamination. The internal exposure for the Chinese population was found to be moderate, however there is a paucity of data available. Knowledge gaps identified concerning phthalates in China include trends in phthalates exposure, sources (e.g. PCPs, pharmaceuticals and medical treatment), and internal exposure derived from biomonitoring, warranting phthalates a research priority.

Urinary concentrations of phthalate metabolites, bisphenols and personal care product chemical biomarkers in pregnant women in Israel

Mounting evidence suggests possible adverse effects of intrauterine exposure to certain phenols and phthalates, two classes of endocrine disruptor chemicals, on the developing fetus, with consequences into later life. These findings have contributed to the replacement of some chemicals, such as di‑2‑ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) and bisphenol A (BPA), in consumer products. For the current study we quantified urinary concentrations of biomarkers of exposure among 50 pregnant women in Israel to several phthalates, bisphenols and personal care product chemicals, as well as DEHP and BPA alternatives. We detected 14 of the 31 biomarkers in more than 90% of the women. We detected biomarkers of 1,2‑cyclohexane dicarboxylic acid, diisononyl ester (DINCH), bisphenol S, and bisphenol F not as frequently (27-56%). This study is the first to evaluate exposure to triclosan, bisphenols, parabens, and phthalates and BPA alternatives among Israeli pregnant women.

Prenatal urinary triclosan concentrations and child neurobehavior

BACKGROUND

Exposure to triclosan, an antimicrobial chemical, is ubiquitous among pregnant women and may reduce thyroid hormone levels that are important for fetal neurodevelopment. Few studies have examined the association between prenatal triclosan exposure and children's neurobehavior.

OBJECTIVE

We investigated the relationship of prenatal urinary triclosan concentrations with children's behavior and cognitive abilities at age three years in a prospective pregnancy and birth cohort in Canada.

METHODS

We measured triclosan in urine samples collected at ~12 weeks of gestation in 794 Canadian women enrolled in a prospective pregnancy and birth cohort study (MIREC) from 2008 to 2011. Around age 3 years, we assessed children's cognitive abilities using the Wechsler Primary and Preschool Scale of Intelligence-III (WPPSI-III), and two scales of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Preschool (BRIEF-P). Parents reported children's problem and reciprocal social behaviors using the Behavior Assessment System for Children-2 (BASC-2) and Social Responsiveness Scale-2 (SRS-2), respectively.

RESULTS

After adjusting for confounders using multivariable linear regression, triclosan was not associated with most of the 30 examined neurobehavioral scales. Each 10-fold increase in triclosan was associated with better WPPSI-III picture completion scores (β: 0.2; 95% CI: 0,0.5) and BASC-2 externalizing (β: -0.5; 95% CI: -1.1, 0) and hyperactivity (β: -0.6; 95% CI: -1.2, -0.1) scores, suggesting less externalizing and hyperactive behaviors. Child sex did not modify these associations.

CONCLUSIONS

In this cohort, urinary triclosan concentrations measured once in early pregnancy were not associated with most assessed aspects of neurobehavior and weakly associated with a few others, but not in the hypothesized direction.