Personal Care Products and Foods Linked to Phenol and Phthalate Exposure

by | Feb 11, 2020 | 2019, Environmental Health

Written by Angeline A. De Leon, Staff Writer. Urine analysis exposes phenols and phthalates in a variety of foods and personal care products.

The average American citizen is in constant contact with chemical pollution, whether through skin contact, diet, or simply air exposure 1. Phthalates are used in plastics and have been linked to toxic health effects, particularly for reproductive and developmental health 2,3. Other toxic compounds, referred to as “environmental phenols,” include parabens (PBs), bisphenols (BPs), and triclosan (TCS) and are frequently used in a number of consumer products as well 4-6.  Given the numerous avenues for chemical exposure, the Norwegian EuroMix Biomonitoring (BM) project was conducted to evaluate real-life exposure to chemical mixtures through various routes, and other research efforts have focused on developing assessment tools to more accurately estimate exposure to chemicals from food and personal care products (PCPs) 7,8. In a 2019 paper 9 published in Environmental International, researchers examined data from the EuroMix BM project to determine urinary levels of phenols and phthalates as well as their exposure sources from foods and PCPs.

A total of 140 adults (43 males, 97 females) aged 24 to 72 years were recruited to participate in two non-consecutive sampling periods (24-hours each) separated by an interval of 2-3 weeks. For each sampling period, participants completed a record of their weighed food and a cosmetic diary (recording use of all PCPs), and tracked their contact with thermal paper (e.g., cash receipts). Blood samples and skin wipes were also taken, and urine samples collected over a 24-hour period and analyzed for PBs, BPs, TCS, triclocarban (TCC), and metabolites of phthalates and DINCH (1,2-cyclohexane dicarboxylic acid diisononyl ester). On the first sampling day, participants completed a modified food frequency questionnaire and a lifestyle questionnaire. Regression analyses were performed between PCPs/food categories and each dependent chemical variable separately.

Analyses of phenol sources revealed significant positive associations between MEPA (methyl paraben) and meat (β = 1.88, p = 0.04) and between BUPA (butylparaben) and bread (β = 1.92, p = 0.00) and beverages (β = 1.52, p = 0.04). Significant negative associations were also observed between MEPA and bread (β = 0.47, p = 0.02); BPA and dairy products (β = 0.64, p = 0.01); and BUPA and butter and oil (β = 0.63, p = 0.01). Analyses of phthalate sources showed significant positive associations between MiBP (mono-iso-butyl phthalate) and fruit and berries (β = 0.32-0.43, p = 0.01-0.04). For females, there was a significant positive association between oh-MPHP (6-hydroxy monopropylheptylphthalate) and sweets (β = 1.46, p = 0.03) and sumDEHP (molar sum of metabolites of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate) and butter and oil (β = 1.26, p = 0.01). PCPs associated with phthalate exposure included shower gel and toothpaste; hand cream and anti-wrinkle cream for women; and shaving products for men. The only PCP positively associated with phenol exposure was lip gloss.

Study results confirm the prevalence of phenol and phthalate exposure in consumers, reporting that 12 of the 20 measured chemicals in pooled urine samples were above the limit of detection in over 90% of participants. Various food categories, primarily meat, bread, sweets, and fats and oils, were significant sources of phenols and phthalates. Across both genders, shower gel and toothpaste were identified as the PCPs most strongly associated with phthalates, and lip gloss the only PCP significantly linked to phenols. Researchers conclude that exposure levels to phenols and phthalates are complex, based on individual diet and PCP preferences, and coming from various everyday sources. A notable strength of the study is its use of pooled urine samples which affords better estimation of long-term chemical exposure. Study limitations involve the lack of a study sample representative of the general population (primarily individuals with high education, all non-smokers) and the reliance on dietary self-reporting.

Source: Husoy T, Andreassen M, Hjertholm H, et al. The Norwegian biomonitoring study from the EU project EuroMix: Levels of phenols and phthalates in 24-hour urine samples and exposure sources from food and personal care products. Environmental International. 2019; 132: 103103. DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2019.105103.

© 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/BY-NC-ND/4.0/)

Click here to read the full text study.

Posted February 11, 2020.

Angeline A. De Leon, MA, graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2010, completing a bachelor’s degree in psychology, with a concentration in neuroscience. She received her master’s degree from The Ohio State University in 2013, where she studied clinical neuroscience within an integrative health program. Her specialized area of research involves the complementary use of neuroimaging and neuropsychology-based methodologies to examine how lifestyle factors, such as physical activity and meditation, can influence brain plasticity and enhance overall connectivity.

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