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  • Original Article
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Women’s exposure to phthalates in relation to use of personal care products

Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology volume 23, pages 197–206 (2013)Cite this article

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Abstract

Several phthalates, particularly diethyl phthalate (DEP) and di-n-butyl phthalate, can be used in personal care products (PCPs) to fix fragrance and hold color. We investigated associations between women’s reported use of PCPs within the 24 h before urine collection and concentrations of several urinary phthalate metabolites. Between 2002 and 2005, 337 women provided spot urine samples and answered questions regarding their use of 13 PCPs at a follow-up visit 3–36 months after pregnancy. We examined associations between urinary concentrations of several phthalate metabolites and use of PCPs using linear regression. Use of individual PCPs ranged from 7% (nail polish) to 91% (deodorant). After adjusting for age, education, and urinary creatinine, women reporting use of perfume had 2.92 times higher (95% CI: 2.20–3.89) concentration of monoethyl phthalate (MEP; the primary metabolite of DEP) than other women. Other PCPs that were significantly associated with MEP concentrations included: hair spray, nail polish, and deodorant. MEP concentrations increased with the number of PCPs used. PCP use was widespread in this group of recently pregnant women. Women’s use of PCPs, particularly of perfumes and fragranced products, was positively associated with urinary concentration of multiple phthalate metabolites.

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Abbreviations

BzBP:

benzylbutyl phthalate

DiBP:

di-isobutyl phthalate

DnBP:

di-n-butyl phthalate

DEHP:

di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate

DEP:

diethyl phthalate

DMP:

dimethyl phthalate

DnOP:

di-n-octyl phthalate

MCPP:

mono(3-carboxypropyl) phthalate

MEP:

monoethyl phthalate

MiBP:

mono-isobutyl phthalate

MEHHP:

mono(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate

MEHP:

mono(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate

MEOHP:

mono(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate

MnBP:

mono-n-butyl phthalate

MzBP:

monobenzyl phthalate

PCP:

personal care product

SFF:

Study for Future Families

SFFII:

Study for Future Families, phase II

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by grants from the US Environmental Protection Agency; National Institutes of Health Grants R01-ES09916 to the University of Missouri, MO1-RR00400 to the University of Minnesota, and MO1-RR0425 to Harbor-UCLA Medical Center; Grant 18018278 from the State of Iowa to the University of Iowa and 1RC2ES018736-02 to the University of Rochester. We gratefully acknowledge the technical assistance of Manori Silva, Jack Reidy, Ella Samandar, Tao Jia, and Jim Preau (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA) in measuring the urinary concentrations of phthalate metabolites. The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the CDC.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA

    Lauren E Parlett

  2. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA

    Lauren E Parlett & Shanna H Swan

  3. Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA

    Antonia M. Calafat

  4. Department of Preventive Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA

    Shanna H Swan

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  1. Lauren E Parlett
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Correspondence to Lauren E Parlett.

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Parlett, L., Calafat, A. & Swan, S. Women’s exposure to phthalates in relation to use of personal care products. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol 23, 197–206 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/jes.2012.105

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