Advisory Committee on Health Effects of Endocrine Disruptors
The Supplement II to the Intermediary Report
1.4.1.3

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3.4 Phthalic acid esters

• - Monobutyl phthalate (MBP), monobenzyl phthalate (MBzP), and mono-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (MEHP) were found in peripheral blood and peritoneal fluid with an average concentration of 1-5 ng/ml.1)
• - DEHP analysis according to the Analysis Guideline (determination limit 10.0 ppb):
  Freshly collected samples of cord blood, maternal blood, breast milk and peritoneal fluid from 221 cases were analyzed by the procedure according to the Analysis Guideline. DEHP in blood was found in 12 cases only, the maximum being 32 ppb. DEHP was not found in maternal blood and cord blood. DEHP in peritoneal fluid was found in 4 cases, the maximum being 35.0 ppb.2)
• - Urine samples collected in an occupationally exposed population (94 workers and 102 controls) were analyzed for phthalic acid ester metabolites (monobutyl phthalate and monoethylhexyl phthalate). The workers showed high levels of the metabolites: 12.4-22836.9 μg/g creatinine of monobutyl phthalate and 1.1-9753.2 μg/g creatinine of monoethylhexyl phthalate. It was thus demonstrated that occupational exposure to phthalic acid esters can be considerable, while the exposure of general public is considered to be relatively low.3)
• - Study of tap water:
  Exposure level via tap water was investigated in detail for the phthalic acid esters which had previously been found frequently in previous surveys (DEHP and di-n-butyl phthalate (DNBP)). Raw water (river, lake, dam or underground water) and purified water (at the outlet of the plant) were analyzed at 11 waterworks (10 rapid filtration plants, 1 slow filtration plant) belonging to 10 water service organizations nationwide. In addition, monthly analysis was performed at 4 rapid filtration plants among them to estimate monthly change in the contamination level.
  The nationwide study revealed an average 0.18 μg/l (range <0.05-1.0 μg/l ) DEHP and an average 0.05 μg/l (range <0.05-0.10 μg/l) DNBP in raw water, and an average 0.02 μg/l (range <0.05-0.10 μg/l) DEHP and <0.05 μg/l DNBP in purified water. The monthly change in the phthalate level in the raw water in the four plants mentioned above was rather small, and one of the plants often showed higher levels in the purified water than in the raw water. The maximum concentration of DEHP and DNBP in the purified water samples were 0.31 and 0.27 μg/l, respectively, which are far lower than the current tolerable daily intake levels (0.004-0.016% and 0.008%, respectively).4)
　

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