Toxicity and Estrogenic Endocrine Disrupting Activity of Phthalates and Their Mixtures

Xueping Chen, Shisan Xu, Tianfeng Tan, Sin Ting Lee, Shuk Han Cheng, Fred Wang Fat Lee, Steven Jing Liang Xu and Kin Chung Ho
Additional contact information
Xueping Chen: Vitargent (International) Biotechnology Limited, Unit 516, 5/F. Biotech Centre 2, No. 11 Science Park West Avenue, Hong Kong Science Park, Shatin, Hong Kong
Shisan Xu: State Key Laboratory in Marine Pollution, Department of Biology and Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, 83 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Tianfeng Tan: Vitargent (International) Biotechnology Limited, Unit 516, 5/F. Biotech Centre 2, No. 11 Science Park West Avenue, Hong Kong Science Park, Shatin, Hong Kong
Sin Ting Lee: Vitargent (International) Biotechnology Limited, Unit 516, 5/F. Biotech Centre 2, No. 11 Science Park West Avenue, Hong Kong Science Park, Shatin, Hong Kong
Shuk Han Cheng: State Key Laboratory in Marine Pollution, Department of Biology and Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, 83 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Fred Wang Fat Lee: School of Science and Technology, Open University of Hong Kong, 30 Good Shepherd Street, Homantin, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Steven Jing Liang Xu: School of Science and Technology, Open University of Hong Kong, 30 Good Shepherd Street, Homantin, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Kin Chung Ho: School of Science and Technology, Open University of Hong Kong, 30 Good Shepherd Street, Homantin, Kowloon, Hong Kong

IJERPH, 2014, vol. 11, issue 3, 1-13

Abstract: Phthalates, widely used in flexible plastics and consumer products, have become ubiquitous contaminants worldwide. This study evaluated the acute toxicity and estrogenic endocrine disrupting activity of butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP), di( n -butyl) phthalate (DBP), bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), diisodecyl phthalate (DIDP), diisononyl phthalate (DINP), di- n -octyl phthalate (DNOP) and their mixtures. Using a 72 h zebrafish embryo toxicity test, the LC 50 values of BBP, DBP and a mixture of the six phthalates were found to be 0.72, 0.63 and 0.50 ppm, respectively. The other four phthalates did not cause more than 50% exposed embryo mortality even at their highest soluble concentrations. The typical toxicity symptoms caused by phthalates were death, tail curvature, necrosis, cardio edema and no touch response. Using an estrogen-responsive ChgH - EGFP transgenic medaka ( Oryzias melastigma ) eleutheroembryos based 24 h test, BBP demonstrated estrogenic activity, DBP, DEHP, DINP and the mixture of the six phthalates exhibited enhanced-estrogenic activity and DIDP and DNOP showed no enhanced- or anti-estrogenic activity. These findings highlighted the developmental toxicity of BBP and DBP, and the estrogenic endocrine disrupting activity of BBP, DBP, DEHP and DINP on intact organisms, indicating that the widespread use of these phthalates may cause potential health risks to human beings.

Keywords: phthalate; toxicity; estrogenic endocrine disruptor; estrogenic activity; enhanced-estrogenic activity; mixture effects (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

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