Diethyl Phthalate, Toxic or Myth?

Figure 1. Image: Gas Mask [Photograpg/animation]. (March 24, 2012). Retrieved from https://fragrantofferingllc.wordpress.com/2012/03/24/is-beauty-killing-you/- (Accessed on February 10, 2018)

Diethyl Phthalate or C₁₂H₁₄O₁₄¹, is a clear, colorless liquid without an odor; can also be found in a large pellet like crystals.² Diethyl Phthalate is a synthesized (man made) compound used predominantly as additives in plastics to improve its flexibility without losing its strength.⁶ You can find Diethyl Phthalate in thousands of products such as baby lotion, eye and facial makeup, fragrances, hair care, oral and personal hygiene, sunscreen, and plastic bottles.⁶ These products have been banned in several countries in the European Union (EU), and in 5 states in the USA due to the health effects this chemical has on humans.⁵ Diethyl Phthalate ingestion may occur through food, pharmaceuticals, nutritional supplements, sucking on children's toys, cosmetics, toothbrushes, heated water bottles.⁶ But, the largest single source of phthalate exposure in the general population is from eating contaminated fish.⁶

Health Effects

Diethyl Phthalate causes severe irritation in the eyes, skin, and throat which can lead to headaches, dizziness, and nausea.³ In animal testing, pregnant rats were treated with high doses of Diethyl Phthalate, which caused skeletal malformation as well as testicular malformation in the offspring.⁵ It also caused obesity, and asthma amongst the tested rats.⁵ From a study, it was found that the toxicity levels of Diethyl Phthalate in rat embryos, and fetuses could potentially be a direct correlation of the effects in the human population.^6&7 More research needs to be conducted to further establish a direct correlation within humans.  

Controversies

 Diethyl Phthalate has been regarded as a carcinogen, this is false. The World Health Organization (WHO) classified Diethyl Phthalate as a Group D: Not Classifiable as to human carcinogenicity.⁶ Diethyl Phthalate has been called the “gender bending hormone” due to the lack of testosterone production resulting in reduced sperm counts in male rats who were tested with high doses of Diethyl Phthalate.⁵ Unfortunately, not much is known about the direct effects that Diethyl Phthalate has on human males do to the lack of extensive research.⁵

Alternatives

Chemicals such as Citrates, Sebacates, Adipates, and Phosphates are now being tested as alternatives for eliminating phthalates such as Diethyl Phthalate from plastics.² Unfortunately, most of these alternative plasticizers are not well studied with regard to their potential effects on human health, and the environment.^4&7 Other alternatives to combat the potential effects of Diethyl Phthalate is to use glass containers/bottles over plastics since heat will cause the Diethyl Phthalate to become chemically unstable which would cause it to leach into the water, air, and the environment.⁴ You can also, as a consumer, invest in purchasing natural floral fragrances such as vanilla, lavender, orange blossom, rose and green tea extracts.^5&7

References:

¹Human Health Effects^.https://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/search2/f?./temp/~TE4gRJ:3. (Accessed on February 3, 2018) 

²Substance: Diethyl Phthalate.https://chem.nlm.nih.gov/chemidplus/name/diethyl%20phthalate. (Accessed on February 3, 2018)  

³Chemical Structure.http://www.chemspider.com/Chemical-Structure.13837303.html?rid=9f12f721-c65c-41a5-81ea-e6de090d4edc. (Accessed on February 3, 2018) 

⁴Ingredients of Diethyl Phthalate. http://www.cosmeticsinfo.org/ingredient/diethyl-phthalate. (Accessed on February 3, 2018)  

⁵Api, A.M. Toxicological profile of diethyl phthalate: a vehicle for fragrance and cosmetic ingredients. Food and chemical Toxicology, 2001, volume 39(2). https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S027869150000124. (Accessed on February 3, 2018)

⁶Schettler, T. Human exposure to phthalates via consumer products. International Journal of Andrology, 2005, Volume 29(1). http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-2605.2005.00567.x/full. (Accessed on February 3, 2018)

⁷Colin, D., Cartwright, S., Owen, I., Thompson, R., Burns, G.Biodegradation of diethyl phthalate in soil by a novel pathway. Oxford Academic, 2000, Volume 186(1). https://academic.oup.com/femsle/article/186/1/27/757921.  (Accessed on February 3, 2018)

Image: Gas Mask [Photograpg/animation]. (March 24, 2012). Retrieved from https://fragrantofferingllc.wordpress.com/2012/03/24/is-beauty-killing-you/- (Accessed on February 10, 2018)