Phthalate esters are a group of synthetic organic chemicals used in many consumer products including cosmetics, toys, flooring and medical devices, and are ubiquitous within the environment. The European Commission is preparing to amend the Authorisation List (Annex XIV to REACH) with the additional identification of four phthalates as substances of very high concern (SVHCs) with endocrine disrupting effects on human health or the environment. The phthalates in question are bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP) and diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP). Other phthalates have yet to be studied as extensively and it is predicted that phthalates used to replace these in manufacturing may prove to be as dangerous as those under legislative control.<br/>This study examines eleven phthalates and their corresponding monoester metabolites in a range of Irish environmental matrices (soil, surface water, landfill leachate, wastewater influent/effluent/sludge, and more). Method development has been carried out with an Agilent 6470 triple-quad LC-MS, equipped with a Poroshell 120 EC-C18 2.7 um, 4.6 x 100 mm column, a methanol:water mobile phase with ammonium formate as an additive, and with optimisation of sample preparation methods (solid phase extraction (SPE), Soxhlet extraction). As phthalates are ubiquitous there were strict quality control measures employed in the method development and sample analysis to ensure correct results. Much work was carried out to separate pairs of structural isomers and co-eluting compounds with similar MRM transitions.  A wastewater epidemiology approach is employed to assess human exposure to phthalates via measurement of phthalate metabolites. A meta-analysis on health risk data serves to relate the level of exposure to an associated risk, providing the first step in phthalate risk assessment within the Irish environment, closing the knowledge gap from lack of biomonitoring data.

Phthalates in environmental matrices: Monitoring and human health impact

2019 Spring National Meeting

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