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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2025 Aug 25.
Published in final edited form as: Menopause. 2020 Nov;27(11):1251–1264. doi: 10.1097/GME.0000000000001614

TABLE 3.

Range of phthalate metabolites and summary phthalate measures for study participants in the Midlife Women’s Health Study

Phthalates
MWHS (n = 762)
NHANES 2005-2006 (all females; n = 1,278)
NHANES 2007-2008 (all females; n = 1,310)
Parent Metabolite % ≥ LOD Mediana (95% CI) Median (95% CI)
DEHP MEHHP 100 33.3 (30.9-36.2) 21.4 (19.5-23.4) 19.9 (16.8-23.3)
MEHP 100 4.5 (4.2-5.0) 2.10 (1.90-2.40) 2.00 (1.70-2.40)
MEOHP 100 11.95 (11.2-12.5) 13.8 (12.5-15.7) 11.7 (9.80-13.5)
MECPP 100 25.6 (23.9-28.0) 31.7 (28.0-36.6) 31.0 (26.4-38.3)
DnOP MCPP 100 2.53 (2.3-2.77) 1.80 (1.60-2.10) 2.60 (2.30-3.00)
BBzP MBzP 100 9.25 (8.5-9.9) 7.70 (6.55-9.36) 7.99 (6.41-9.36)
DEP MEP 99 96.95 (87.6-107) 109 (86.8-130) 82.4 (67.6-101)
DBP MBP 100 19.8 (18.5-21.3) 20.4 (17.1-24.7) 20.8 (18.1-23.2)
DiBP MiBP 100 16.25 (15.3-17.3) 5.50 (4.70-6.60) 7.40 (6.50-8.30)
Summary phthalates b Median (IQR)
sumPCP 2.05 (1.00, 3.10)
sumDEHP 0.34 (0.24, 0.54)
sumAA 0.69 (0.52, 0.94)
sumPLASTIC 0.43 (0.31, 0.63)
sumALL 2.54 (1.54, 3.73)

AA, antiandrogenic; BBzP, benzyl butyl phthalate; CI, confidence interval; DBP, dibutyl phthalate; DEHP, di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate; DEP, diethyl phthalate; DiBP, diisobutyl phthalate; DnOP, dioctyl phthalate; IQR, interquartile range; LOD, level of detection; MBP, monobutyl phthalate; MBzP, monobenzyl phthalate; MCEPP, mono-(5-carboxy-2-ethylpentyl) phthalate; MCPP, mono-(3-carboxypropyl) phthalate; MEHHP, mono-(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate; MEHP, monoethylhexyl phthalate; MEOHP, mono-(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate; MEP, monoethyl phthalate; MiBP, monoisobutyl phthalate; MWHS, Midlife Women’s Health Study; NHANES, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey; PCP, personal care products.

a

ng/mL adjusted for specific gravity.

b

Summary phthalate measures were calculated as follows:.

sumPCP is the sum of phthalate metabolites present in personal care products: MBP + MEP.

sumDEHP is the sum of DEHP metabolites: MECPP + MEHHP + MEHP + MEOHP.

sumAA is the sum of phthalate metabolites with known androgenic activity: sumDEHP + MBP + MBzP + MiBP.

sumPLASTIC is the sum of phthalate metabolites from plastic sources: sumDEHP + MCPP + MBzP.

sumALL is the sum of all calculated phthalate metabolites: sumDEHP + MCPP + MBzP + MEP + MBP + MiBP.