Phthalates exposure during pregnancy a study in a Mexican cohort

• Published in: Toxicology reports Vol. 8; pp. 1040 - 1045
• Main Authors: Bustamante-Montes, Lilia Patricia, Borja-Aburto, Víctor Hugo, Hernández-Valero, María A., García-Fábila, María Magdalena, Borja-Bustamante, Patricia, González-Álvarez, Rafael, Acosta-Gordillo, Germán Antonio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ireland Elsevier B.V 01.01.2021; Elsevier
• Subjects: Exposure assessment; Mono-butyl phthalate (MBP); Mono-ethyl phthalate (MEP); Mono-ethyl-hexyl phthalate (MEHP); Pregnancy; Regular; Pregnancy; Mono-ethyl-hexyl phthalate (MEHP); Mono-butyl phthalate (MBP); Exposure assessment; Mono-ethyl phthalate (MEP)
• ISSN: 2214-7500; 2214-7500
• DOI: 10.1016/j.toxrep.2021.05.006

[Display omitted] •MEP was found in higher concentration, followed by MBP and MEHP.•No significant trends were observed among the studied metabolites during the pregnancy period.•MBP was higher in the less educated women.•Women who resided in industrialized zones showed the higher levels of MEHP and MEP.•No differences were observed with medication during pregnancy, use of cosmetics, tobacco or consumption of milk products. A prospective cohort study was conducted to measure the concentration levels of three primary phthalate metabolites (MBP, MEHP, MEP) during pregnancy in a group of women from the State of Mexico. The urinary concentration levels of the three phthalate primary metabolites were measured by gas chromatography mass spectrometry during the first, second and third trimesters of pregnancy. The geometric mean and 95 % CI for MBP was 20.38 μg/mL (15.35–27.09); for MEHP 13.43 μg/mL (8.93–20.20), and MEP 52.47 μg/mL (39.88–69.04) adjusted to one g of creatinine. No significant trends were observed among the studied metabolites during the pregnancy period. MBP was higher in less educated women, while women who resided in industrialized zones showed higher levels of MEHP and MEP than women from non-industrialized zones. Consumption of plastic bottled beverages was associated with MBP and MEHP phthalate exposure. Women who used non-registered brands of plastic food containers for storage or for microwave oven use showed the highest levels of MBP and MEP phthalates. The pregnant women in our study were exposed to the three studied primary phthalate metabolites, and this could present a risk to their newborns. To better integrate public health policies, major exploration of potential exposure sources and effects at the regional level is required.