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Data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates that humans carry phthalates—chemicals used as softeners in plastics and found in everything from pill coatings to nail polish—around in their bodies. A growing number of studies, primarily in rats, show that phthalates cause male reproductive problems—infertility, decreased sperm count, malformation—and can cross the placenta. As a result, the European Union has banned some of them and consumer advocate and environmental groups have called for the U.S. government to do the same.

Today, an advisory panel of scientists, commissioned by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), released a report recommending that the chemicals be assessed as a group for potential risks as soon as possible.

"Our committee concluded that there are common adverse outcomes," said Deborah Cory-Slechta, a specialist in environmental medicine at the University of Rochester during a press teleconference. "There should be a cumulative risk assessment and it should be broadened to all phthalates and anti-androgens [chemicals that block or eliminate male hormones]."

There have been  only a few, small studies  of phthalate levels in pregnant women and the health of their offspring. But toxicologist Paul Foster of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in Raleigh, N.C.  said that pregnant humans, rats and all mammals share enough similarities (in gender development in the womb) to suspect that if phthalates produce  ill effects in rats they will do the same in humans.

"There is evidence that the levels of phthalates in [human] amniotic fluid are in the range of levels in rat amniotic fluid that gives rise to adverse effects in offspring,"  toxicologist Andreas Kortenkamp of the University of London said during the call.

Industry groups, including the American Chemistry Council, argue that there is not enough evidence that phthalates cause harm to justify a risk assessment, a charge that the committee dismisses based on the accumulating animal data. Now it's just a matter of when.

"EPA clearly believes it is of interest to move ahead," Cory-Slechta said. "Where it fits within their priorities and timeframe we cannot address but it's certainly on their radar screen."

Credit: ©iStockphoto.com

6 Comments

1. 1. DoctorWho 07:24 PM 12/18/08

   This might explain why there has been an onset of puberty in males at an earlier age. In the beginning of the 20th century, the average onset of puberty in males was around 15 years of age, now its closer to 11 years. Even when you factory out diet it still is moving toward an even younger age. I wonder with all the chemicals we breathe and ingest through our food and interact with, that global warming is just one facet we must address. Just throwing it out there.
   
   DDD/Dr concerned father of 2 young boys
   

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2. 2. DoctorWho 07:27 PM 12/18/08

   This might explain why there has been an onset of puberty in males at an earlier age. In the beginning of the 20th century, the average onset of puberty in males was around 15 years of age, now its closer to 11 years. Even when you factor out diet it still is moving toward an evern younger age. I wonder with all the chemicals we breathe and ingest through our food and interact with, that global warming is just one facet we must address. Just throwing it out there.
   
   DDD/Dr concerned father of 2 young boys
   

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3. 3. nfiertel 09:43 PM 12/19/08

   Pthalates are banned in Canada in all children's toys and drinking bottles, nipples and teething toys. Further, adult drinking bottles have limited or eliminated this chemical. It is disquieting to hear that it is used in pill coatings. I note that there is an increase in bottled rather than canned fruits of late and I presume this is to limit the total amount of coatings exposed to the food preserved inside. Many people are unaware that many or perhaps most canned foods are in pthalate containing coatings to prevent acid corrosion in the tins. They were first used I believe in the 1920s so early onset puberty at the turn of the last century is more likely due to better nutrition rather than this additive. I am reasonably sure about this but don't hold me to it. They became increasingly common in industrial plastics in the 1950s.

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4. 4. ecocer 06:02 PM 5/19/09

   I am a medical doctor working on this field. Phthalates have a short half life but they are really everywhere. There is an interesting paper of Shanna Swann on the results of phthalates after the exposure during pregnancy. If someone is working on the same subject, I would be happy to talk.

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5. 5. Cosmic 08:32 PM 2/12/10

   I'm pretty sure that I read in Chemical And Engineering News 1/11/10 that the EPA is considering regulations to restrict or ban these things. This article is somewhat old. But it wouldn't hurt to write your elected officials and urge the ban. The American Chemistry Council is not a professional organization but a special interest group.

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6. 6. eduardelf 12:57 AM 11/25/10

   very nice information. <a href="http://www.geoffharrison.com.au/">criminal lawyer</a>
   

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