Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
NOVA Science Publishers Inc. , New York, 2022
Phthalates are esters of phthalic acid that
are group of chemicals used in mainly production of plastics. Phthalates are
also called plasticizers that make solid plastics flexible and soft. Besides
plastics, phthalates are also used as raw materials and/or auxiliary chemicals
in many industrial activities.
Phthalates are classified as low molecular
weight (C1-C6) and high molecular weight (C7-more) phthalates according to the
carbon chain length of the subgroup in their chemical structure. Low molecular
weight phthalates are used as raw materials or auxiliary chemicals in the
production of cosmetics, detergents, shampoo, soap, paper, automotive, building
materials, medical materials and paint. Diethylphthalate (DEP), one of the low
molecular weight phthalates, is used in cellulosic films as well as a
stabilizer and carrier in perfumes and fragrances. High molecular weight
phthalates are generally used as vinyl plasticizers in the production of
polyvinylchloride (PVC).
Phthalates are
lipophilic substances in terms of their chemical structure and their solubility
in water decreases inversely with the length of the subgroup carbon chain.
Phthalates do not covalently bond to the plastics and release into their
environment slowly over time. Because of their widespread use, phthalates are
very common in nature and are classified as non-persistent pollutants. Their
harmful effects have started to be shown by studies conducted in the last 20-30
years and revealed that phthalates have endocrine disrupting effects. For this
reason, phthalates have begun to be classified as Endocrine Disruptive
Chemicals. In addition, the use of certain phthalates has been restricted by
the European Union and the United States at first. Diethylhexyl phthalate
(DEHP), which is widely used phthalate in production of plastics, was the first
phthalate to be restricted within the scope of the European Union REACH
regulation in 1999 due to its effects on human health, especially infants and
children. According to the restriction, DEHP should be less than 0.1% by mass
in the manufacture of toys and materials related to children. Subsequently,
Dibutyl phthlalate (DBP), Butylbenzyl phthalate (BBP), Di-iso-nonyl phthalate (DINP),
Di-iso-decyl phthalate (DIDP), Dioctyl phthalate (DOP) and Di-iso-butyl
phthlalate (DIBP) were added to the restricted phthalates.
Phthalates has been determined that they
exert endocrine disrupting effects by changing the actions of some hormones in
the body. Phthalates affect the endocrine system by mimicking or inhibiting
endogenous hormones, interfering with hormone receptors, or inhibiting the
synthesis of hormones. The effects of phthalates do not reflect the classical
dose-response curve. Their harmful effects vary with dose, and they have a
non-monotonic dose-response curve. In addition, harmful effects of phthalates
are observed even at very low doses. Exposure to phthalates during
developmental stages has been shown to cause greater effects. Therefore, it is
necessary to monitor the exposure of these substances effectively in terms of
human health. It is important to determine the concentrations of phthalates
accurately and precisely, whose use is restricted, in various materials. As stated
in Chapter I, proper preparation and extraction of the samples
are also an important issue that needs attention in order to determine the
phthalate concentrations in the materials. Analysis of many phthalates is
carried out by chromatographic methods. High-performance liquid chromatography
(HPLC), gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, liquid chromatography-tandem mass
spectrometry and gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry are the most used analytical
methods in phthalate analysis.
Exposure of human and natural life to
phthalates occurs through inhalation, dietary and dermal routes. After
phthalates are taken into the human body, they are metabolized by going through
various detoxification stages. The primary and secondary metabolites of
phthalates after detoxification stages are removed from the body by the
kidneys. However, the metabolites of phthalates may exert more harmful effects
than the parent chemical. Although phthalates have a short half-life in the
body, they are, they tend to accumulate in tissues such as adipose tissue,
kidney and lung, due to their lipophilic properties. Especially during the
developmental periods, the harmful effects of these accumulated phthalates may
increase even more. Phthalates accumulated in the adipose tissue are released
as energy needs of the body increases during pregnancy, and cause adverse
effects for both mother and child. Therefore phthalates, which are known to
pass through the placenta, impair the development of fetus, especially the reproductive
organs. Depending on the areas of usage, the effects of these substances may
increase. DEHP, which is used especially in medical products, especially in
tubes, serum and blood bags, causes more exposure of patients.