What are phthalate plasticizers?
Phthalates are a group of chemicals used to make plastics more durable. They are often called plasticizers. Some phthalates are used to help dissolve other materials. Phthalates are in hundreds of products, such as vinyl flooring, lubricating oils, and personal-care products (soaps, shampoos, hair sprays).
What percentage of used plasticizers are phthalates?
90%
90% are used as plasticizers. The C8–C13 phthalate esters are the dominant vinyl plasticizers with di-2-ethyl hexyl phthalate (DEHP) and diisononyl phthalate (DINP) predominant.
Why are phthalates used as plasticizers?
High phthalates are chosen by manufacturers as effective plasticizers for making vinyl flexible because they do not easily migrate out of material. They are tightly held in the structure of vinyl, are odorless and have very low volatility, which means they do not readily evaporate.
Why phthalates are banned?
They are not chemically bound to plastics, so they can be released from consumer products into the environment and may result in human exposure. In all toys and childcare products DEHP (di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate), DBP (dibutyl phthalate), and BBP (benzyl butyl phthalate) are banned.
What are the harmful effects of phthalates?
Phthalates, a family of industrial chemicals used to soften polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic and as solvents in cosmetics and other consumer products, can damage the liver, kidneys, lungs, and reproductive system.
How do you get rid of phthalates?
Even if it’s impossible to avoid phthalates entirely, there are ways women can decrease their exposure: Limit exposure to plastics, especially anything with the number 3 or 7 on them. Use glass, ceramic, or metal containers for food and drink. Try to buy foods that don’t come in plastic packaging.
How do you get rid of phthalates in your body?
The good news is that phthalates have a short half life, and as long as our detox pathways are working correctly, we are able to metabolize and remove phthalates from our body in urine, stool and sweat within 24 hours of exposure (Anderson, 2001).
Do Ziploc bags have phthalates?
A677), makes reference to both plastic wrap and Saran Wrap. As a point of clarification, phthalates are not used in plastic food wraps sold in the United States categorically, and SC Johnson’s website specifically states that “… phthalates are not used in any Saran or Ziploc product” (SC Johnson 2006).
How do I know if my lotion has phthalates?
There is no easy way to tell if a product has added phthalates. Phthalates can be identified on labels by a three or four letter acronym that defines their chemical structures. Labels rarely state “contains phthalates”.
How are phthalates used in the plastic industry?
Phthalates are plasticizers that are used in the manufacture of polyvinyl chloride plastics to render them softer and more flexible. Phthalates are the esters of 1,2-dibenzene dicarboxylic acid; their general structure is given in Figure 1.
Which is the most common phthalate in vinyl?
The C8–C13 phthalate esters are the dominant vinyl plasticizers with di-2-ethyl hexyl phthalate (DEHP) and diisononyl phthalate (DINP) predominant. Currently, however, there is a clear trend of using technical mixtures of alcohols of similar boiling point as precursors, as a matter of course yielding a complex mixture of phthalate esters.
What is the average daily intake of phthalates?
Based on urinary phthalate metabolite concentrations we estimated in 102 German subjects between 6 and 80 years of age median daily intakes (μg/kg/day) of 2.7 for DEHP, 2.1 for di‐n‐butyl phthalate, 1.5 for diisobutyl phthalate, 0.6 for DiNP, and 0.3 for butylbenzyl phthalate.
How are phthalates produced in dibenzene dicarboxylic acid?
Phthalates are the esters of 1,2-dibenzene dicarboxylic acid; their general structure is given in Figure 1. They are produced by the addition of an excess of branched or normal alcohols to phthalic anhydride in the presence of a catalyst.