A preliminary cumulative risk assessment of Diethylhexyl phthalate and Dibutyl phthalate based on the inhibition of embryonic development via the PPARγ pathway

• DOI: 10.1016/j.tiv.2022.105430
• Publication Date: 2022-07-25T23:58:47Z
• Authors: Haiqin Fang; Heng Wang; Cheng Zeng; Hualing Fu; Bin Zhao; Aidong Liu; Jianbo Yan
• Keywords: Dibutyl phthalate; Plasticizer; Developmental toxicity; Benzhydryl compounds

Diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) and dibutyl phthalate (DBP) are the two most widely used plasticizers (PAEs) that may act as endocrine disruptors and cause developmental toxicity.We measured intrauterine exposure to DEHP and DBP which are the two most widely used phthalates (PAEs) in the cord blood of 50 postpartum women using ultra-HPLC-tandem mass spectrometry and solid-phase extraction. The embryotoxicity of DEHP and DBP was evaluated using the human embryonic stem cell test (hEST). Based on the intrauterine exposure concentration of DEHP and DBP in pregnant women and the reference point of toxic effects in hEST, we used the reference point index (RPI) method to assess the cumulative risk of DBP and DEHP.The mean concentrations of DEHP and DBP were 99.9 μg/L and 24.7 μg/L, respectively. DEHP and DBP were weakly embryotoxic, and the benchmark dose lower confidence intervals were 29.99 and 0.99 μg/mL, respectively, as determined using hEST. Both DEHP and DBP inhibited embryonic development via PPAR/PTEN/Akt signal pathway.The findings suggest that the cumulative risk in pregnant women with a high level of exposure should receive more attention in the future.