Phthalates - Sarah Huxtable

Phthalates 
Don't Put It In Your Mouth 5
^click me :)

Are you aware of what is in your shampoo, cosmetics, water bottles, clothing, furniture, and younger siblings baby toys? ⁴ Now you can find out exactly what could be    causing serious health concerns! Phthalates. 

Phthalates are chemical compounds, commonly known as plasticizers that are added to products to make them last longer and more flexible.¹ Phthalates are dialkyl or alkyl aryl esters of 1,2-benzenedicarboxylic acid (phthalic acid)¹, sounds scary doesn't it? Well it is. 

Hormones are very important in regulating the human body, this is known as the endocrine system.⁶ Phthalates, have been found in studies to be an endocrine disruptor.³ This is dangerous to us because this can also lead to reproductive and developmental problems.¹ Lower sperm count in males, reduced fertility in females, and tissue level changes to testes are a few of these health concerns.³ Dermal absorption and inhalation are the main exposure routes, and children are at highest level of risk.² 

There is some good news and regulations that have been put in place so that children toys cannot have higher that 0.1% concentration levels of specific phthalates.⁷ Although this is a step in the right direction, this only includes toys that are intended to be put in their mouth.⁷ All other toys do not have to follow these regulations, and phthalates can begin their destruction. 

References

1. Cadogan, D. F. & Howick, C. J. 2000. Plasticizers. Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology.
2. Dart, R. C. (2004). Phthalate and Phthalate Esters. Medical toxicology (3rd ed). (pp.1376-1386). Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. 

3. Heudorf, U., Mersch-Sundermann, V., & Angerer, J. (2007). Phthalates: toxicology and exposure. International journal of hygiene and environmental health, 210(5),623-634. 

4. Marsee, K., Woodruff, T. J., Axelrad, D. A., Calafat, A. M., & Swan, S. H. (2006). Estimated daily phthalate exposures in a population of mothers of male infants exhibiting reduced anogenital distance. Environmental health perspectives, 114(6), 805 

5. RetroWinnipeg. (2007, June 23). Don't Put It In Your Mouth (Full Version, 1993) [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AuLkMBAFZg 

6. Taylor, T. (n.d.). Endocrine System. Retrieved November 28, 2014, from http://www.innerbody.com/image/endoov.html.

7. US Food and Drug Administration. (2012). Guidance for industry limiting the use of certain phthalates as excipients in CDER-regulated products. Silver Spring (MD): The Administration, 2012.

8. Wilson, A. S. (1996). Plasticisers: Selection, Applications and Implications (Vol. 88). iSmithers Rapra Publishing.