Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Environmental Health Perspectives logoLink to Environmental Health Perspectives
. 1982 Nov;45:11–17. doi: 10.1289/ehp.824511

Toxic potential of the plasticizer Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate in the context of its disposition and metabolism in primates and man.

C C Peck, P W Albro
PMCID: PMC1568993  PMID: 7140682

Abstract

Although human toxicity from exposure to the plasticizer di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is unknown, reports of animal toxicity from DEHP have stimulated extensive toxicological studies. In the absence of direct toxicity data, information on the disposition and metabolism of DEHP in primates and man may enhance our assessment of the toxic potential of DEHP in man. Studies of DEHP disposition and metabolism in the African Green monkey and man show that the compound is rapidly and extensively metabolized. It is excreted largely in the urine (greater than 90%) as conjugated (glucuronide) oxidation products of mono(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate; excretion in feces accounts for the other 10% of the administered DEHP. Plasma disappearance of parenterally administered DEHP is equally rapid so that by 24 hr following DEHP administration, plasma DEHP concentrations are virtually undetectable, while greater than 70% of the dose has been excreted in urine and stool. The transience of DEHP in primates and the extent to which it is metabolized and conjugated may play a role in the observed lack of toxicity.

Full text

PDF
11

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Albro P. W., Hass J. R., Peck C. C., Odam D. G., Corbett J. T., Bailey F. J., Blatt H. E., Barrett B. B. Identification of the metabolites of di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate in urine from the African green monkey. Drug Metab Dispos. 1981 May-Jun;9(3):223–225. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Jacobson M. S., Kevy S. V., Grand R. J. Effects of a plasticizer leached from polyvinyl chloride on the subhuman primate: a consequence of chronic transfusion therapy. J Lab Clin Med. 1977 May;89(5):1066–1079. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Jaeger R. J., Rubin R. J. Migration of a phthalate ester plasticizer from polyvinyl chloride blood bags into stored human blood and its localization in human tissues. N Engl J Med. 1972 Nov 30;287(22):1114–1118. doi: 10.1056/NEJM197211302872203. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Lake B. G., Gangolli S. D., Grasso P., Lloyd A. G. Studies on the hepatic effects of orally administered di-)2-ethylhexyl) phthalate in the rat. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 1975 May;32(2):355–367. doi: 10.1016/0041-008x(75)90226-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Peck C. C., Odom D. G., Albro P. W., Jess D. A., Barrett B. B. Effect of heat on the conversion of di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate to mono-2-ethylhexyl phthalate in human plasma. Transfusion. 1981 Mar-Apr;21(2):163–166. doi: 10.1046/j.1537-2995.1981.21281178151.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Peck C. C., Odom D. G., Friedman H. I., Albro P. W., Hass J. R., Brady J. T., Jess D. A. Di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) and mono-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (MEHP) accumulation in whole blood and red cell concentrates. Transfusion. 1979 Mar-Apr;19(2):137–146. doi: 10.1046/j.1537-2995.1979.19279160282.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Peck C. C., Zuck T. F. DEHP in blood. Transfusion. 1977 Jul-Aug;17(4):400–401. doi: 10.1046/j.1537-2995.1977.17477216873.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Rock G., Secours V. E., Franklin C. A., Chu I., Villeneuve D. C. The accumulation of mono-2-ethylhexylphthalate (MEHP) during storage of whole blood and plasma. Transfusion. 1978 Sep-Oct;18(5):553–558. doi: 10.1046/j.1537-2995.1978.18579036383.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Rubin R. J., Nair P. P. Plasticizers in human tissues. N Engl J Med. 1973 Apr 26;288(17):915–916. doi: 10.1056/NEJM197304262881725. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Rubin R. J., Schiffer C. A. Fate in humans of the plasticizer, di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate, arising from transfusion of platelets stored in vinyl plastic bags. Transfusion. 1976 Jul-Aug;16(4):330–335. doi: 10.1046/j.1537-2995.1976.16476247053.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Seth P. K., Srivastava S. P., Agarwal D. K., Chandra S. V. Effect of di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) on rat gonads. Environ Res. 1976 Oct;12(2):131–138. doi: 10.1016/0013-9351(76)90015-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Singh A. R., Lawrence W. H., Autian J. Mutagenic and antifertility sensitivities of mice to di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) and dimethoxyethyl phthalate (DMEP). Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 1974 Jul;29(1):35–46. doi: 10.1016/0041-008x(74)90159-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Environmental Health Perspectives are provided here courtesy of National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

RESOURCES