Association between consumer practices and phthalate exposure in children and their parents from Slovakia

Abstract

Phthalates represent endocrine disrupting chemicals, with harmful effect on the hormonal balance of the human body. Food is a substantial source of exposure to phthalates. The aim of study was to investigate association between phthalate exposure of children and their parents from Slovakia (children n = 51, parents n = 27) and their consumer practices. We analysed urine samples by high performance liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) to determine concentrations of phthalate metabolites monoethyl phthalate (MEP), monomethyl phthalate (MMP), mono-n-buthyl phthalate (MnBP), mono-iso-buthyl phthalate (MiBP), monocyclo-hexyl phthalate (MCHP), mono(2- ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP), mono(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate (MEHHP), mono(2-ethyl- 5-oxohexyl) phthalate (MEOHP), mono(2-ethyl-5-carboxypentyl) phthalate (MECPP) and mono(2- carboxymethylhexyl) phthalate (McMHP), mono-n-octyl phthalate (MnOP) and mono-isononyl phthalate (MiNP). We observed significantly higher concentrations of di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) metabolites and MiBP in children in comparison with parents (p=0.05). We found statistically significant association between concentrations of some phthalates and consumption of food packed in the plastic containers, drinking of milk and strongest association was detected between consumption of sliced salami in a plastic package and concentrations of all DEHP metabolites (p=0.05). We concluded that consumption of the fat rich food stored in the plastic containers together with socioeconomic status and age could affect urinary concentration of phthalate metabolites.