Phthalate esters: occurrence, toxicity, bioremediation, and advanced oxidation processes.

Phthalic acid esters are emerging pollutants, commonly used as plasticizers that are categorized as hazardous endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). A rise in anthropogenic activities leads to an increase in phthalate concentration in the environment which leads to various adverse environmental effects and health issues in humans and other aquatic organisms. This paper gives an overview of the research related to phthalate ester contamination and degradation methods by conducting a bibliometric analysis with VOS Viewer. Ecotoxicity analysis requires an understanding of the current status of phthalate pollution, health impacts, exposure routes, and their sources. This review covers five toxic phthalates, occurrences in the aquatic environment, toxicity studies, biodegradation studies, and degradation pathways. It highlights the various advanced oxidation processes like photocatalysis, Fenton processes, ozonation, sonolysis, and modified AOPs used for phthalate removal from the environment.

Does Using Corsi-Rosenthal Boxes to Mitigate COVID-19 Transmission Also Reduce Indoor Air Concentrations of PFAS and Phthalates?

The COVID-19 pandemic brought new emphasis on indoor air quality. However, few studies have investigated the impact of air filtration, a COVID-mitigation approach, on indoor air concentrations of semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs). Using a quasi-experimental design, we quantified the impact of a relatively low-cost "do-it-yourself" air filter (Corsi-Rosenthal Box; CR Box) on indoor air concentrations of 42 PFAS and 24 other SVOCs. We sampled air before (October-November 2021) and during (February-March 2022) deployment of CR Boxes in 17 rooms located in an occupied Providence, Rhode Island office building. We measured sound levels in rooms with CR Boxes operating and not operating. While CR Boxes were deployed, concentrations of seven PFAS (N-EtFOSE, N-EtFOSA, FBSA, PFBS, PFHxS, PFOS, PFNA) were 28-61% lower and concentrations of five phthalates (DMP, DEP, DiBP, BBzP, DCHP) were 29-62% lower. Concentrations of five PFAS and one phthalate increased 23-44% during the intervention period, but the 95% CI of most of these estimates included the null. Daytime sound levels increased 5.0 dB when CR Boxes were operating. These results indicate that CR Boxes reduced exposure to several lower-volatility phthalates and sulfonated PFAS previously reported to be found in office building materials and products, with potentially distracting increases in sound levels.

Determination and risk assessment of phthalates in face masks. An Italian study.

Serious human health concerns have been recently raised from daily use of face masks, due to the possible presence of hazardous compounds as the phthalic acid esters (PAEs). In this study, the content of 11 PAEs in 35 commercial masks was assessed by applying a specific and accurate method, using Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry. Surgical, FFP2 and non-surgical models, for both adults and children were collected from the Italian market. Analyses showed that four of the target analytes were detected in all tested samples with median total concentrations ranging between 23.6 mg/kg and 54.3 mg/kg. Results obtained from the experimental analysis were used in the risk assessment studies carried out for both carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic effects. Doses of exposure (Dexp) of PAEs ranged from 6.43 × 10-5 mg/kg bw/day to 1.43 × 10-2 mg/kg bw/day. Cumulative risk assessment was performed for non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic effects. No potential risk was found for non-carcinogenic effects, yet the 20% of the mask samples showed potential carcinogenic effects for humans. A refined exposure assessment was performed showing no risk for carcinogenic effects. This paper presents a risk assessment approach for the identification of potential risks associated to the use of face masks.

Significant changes in follicular fluid phthalate metabolite levels reflect the lifestyle changes brought about by the strict COVID-19 lockdown in India.

OBJECTIVE: To assess if the unprecedented changes in lifestyle because of the lockdown initiated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which altered human behavior, and influenced purchase and consumption patterns, may have had an impact on the exposure to phthalates in Indian women undergoing in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI). To evaluate if the effects of the strict and lengthy lockdown in India, which promoted the new norms of stay-at-home and work-from-home, closure of beauty parlors, and restriction on public gatherings, may have contributed to a decrease in the exposure to phthalates like dibutyl phthalate and diethyl phthalate. These chemicals are found in many personal care products (PCPs) which include cosmetics and fragrances. To investigate if the extensive use of flexible single-use plastic in personal protective equipment like face masks/gloves and in plastic packaging used for online purchases, food takeaways, and home deliveries of essentials and groceries during the COVID-19 pandemic, in an attempt to provide a contact-free delivery system may have inadvertently led to an increase in exposure to phthalates like di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, di-isononyl phthalate, and di-isodecyl phthalate which are plasticizers used in manufacturing flexible plastic. DESIGN: A comparative study of the levels of six phthalate metabolites detected in follicular fluid (FF) of Indian women undergoing IVF/ICSI 1 year before and immediately after the lockdown initiated by the COVID-19 pandemic. SETTING: In vitro fertilization center in a large referral hospital in India. PATIENT(S): A total of 176 Indian women seeking treatment for infertility and undergoing oocyte retrieval were included after obtaining consent. Each woman contributed one FF sample to the study. Group A (n = 96) women (mean age, 34.0 [±3.9] years, and mean BMI, 25.4 [±4.8]) had their FF samples collected and screened between January 2019 and mid-March 2020, 1 year before the lockdown. Group B (n = 80) women (mean age, 33.9 [±4.1] years, and mean BMI, 25.0 [±4.4]) had their FF collected and screened post the lockdown between October 2020 and June 2021. Both groups were matched by age and BMI. INTERVENTION(S): The cryopreserved FF samples of 176 women were processed using enzymatic deconjugation as well as the solid-phase extraction technique, and analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to detect the total levels of six phthalate metabolites. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): To evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on the change in the phthalate metabolite levels in the FF of Indian women undergoing IVF/ICSI pre and post the lockdown. RESULT(S): The median levels of mono-n-butyl phthalate (1.64 ng/ml in group A vs. 0.93 ng/ml in group B; P<.001) and mono-ethyl phthalate (5.25 ng/ml in group A vs. 3.24 ng/ml in group B; P<.001) metabolites of dibutyl phthalate and diethyl phthalate found in PCPs including cosmetics and fragrances were significantly higher in the FF of 96 women (group A) compared with the levels seen in the FF of 80 women (group B). However, the median levels of mono-isononyl phthalate (0.11ng/ml in group A vs. 0.13 ng/ml in group B; P<.001), mono-isodecyl phthalate (0.11 ng/ml in group A vs. 0.14 ng/ml in group B; P<.001), and mono(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate (0.13 ng/ml in group A vs. 0.14 ng/ml in group B; P=.023) metabolites of di-isononyl phthalate, di-isodecyl phthalate, and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate used as plasticizers were significantly higher in the FF of women in group B compared with women in group A. CONCLUSION(S): The significant drop in mono-n-butyl phthalate and mono-ethyl phthalate levels, accumulated in the FF of 80 Indian women in group B reflects a decrease or absence of usage patterns of PCPs, including cosmetics and fragrances, thereby suggesting that these women may have deprioritized their use during the COVID-19 pandemic giving preference to personal hygiene and safety. Whereas the unprecedented increase in the use of flexible single-use plastic that became our first line of defense against the coronavirus during the COVID-19 pandemic might be responsible for the accumulation of significantly higher levels of mono-isononyl phthalate, mono-isodecyl phthalate, and mono(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate in FF of the same group.