Shea Katherine M
Pediatrics. 2003 Jun;111(6 Pt 1):1467-74. doi: 10.1542/peds.111.6.1467.
Phthalates are plasticizers that are added to polyvinyl chloride (PVC) products to impart flexibility and durability. They are produced in high volume and generate extensive though poorly defined human exposures and unique childhood exposures. Phthalates are animal carcinogens and can cause fetal death, malformations, and reproductive toxicity in laboratory animals. Toxicity profiles and potency vary by specific phthalate. The extent of these toxicities and their applicability to humans remains incompletely characterized and controversial. Two phthalates, diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) and diisononyl phthalate (DINP), have received considerable attention recently because of specific concerns about pediatric exposures. Like all phthalates, DEHP and DINP are ubiquitous contaminants in food, indoor air, soils, and sediments. DEHP is used in toys and medical devices. DINP is a major plasticizer used in children's toys. Scientific panels, advocacy groups, and industry groups have analyzed the literature on DEHP and DINP and have come to different conclusions about their safety. The controversy exists because risk to humans must be extrapolated from animal data that demonstrate differences in toxicity by species, route of exposure, and age at exposure and because of persistent uncertainties in human exposure data. This report addresses sensitive endpoints of reproductive and developmental toxicity and the unique aspects of pediatric exposures to phthalates that generate concern. DEHP and DINP are used as specific examples to illustrate the controversy.
邻苯二甲酸盐是一种增塑剂，被添加到聚氯乙烯（PVC）产品中以赋予其柔韧性和耐用性。它们的产量很高，会导致广泛但定义不明确的人体接触以及独特的儿童接触情况。邻苯二甲酸盐是动物致癌物，可导致实验动物出现胎儿死亡、畸形和生殖毒性。不同的邻苯二甲酸盐毒性特征和效力有所不同。这些毒性的程度及其对人类的适用性仍未完全明确且存在争议。由于对儿童接触的特定担忧，两种邻苯二甲酸盐，即邻苯二甲酸二（2-乙基己基）酯（DEHP）和邻苯二甲酸二异壬酯（DINP），最近受到了相当多的关注。与所有邻苯二甲酸盐一样，DEHP和DINP在食品、室内空气、土壤和沉积物中普遍存在。DEHP用于玩具和医疗设备。DINP是儿童玩具中使用的主要增塑剂。科学小组、倡导团体和行业团体分析了关于DEHP和DINP的文献，并就它们的安全性得出了不同结论。争议的存在是因为必须从动物数据推断对人类的风险，而这些数据显示了不同物种、接触途径和接触年龄的毒性差异，并且由于人类接触数据一直存在不确定性。本报告讨论了生殖和发育毒性的敏感终点以及儿童接触邻苯二甲酸盐引发关注的独特方面。以DEHP和DINP作为具体例子来说明争议。
