"Human and Ecological Risk Assessments of di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate in Japan " 

Wataru Naito, Yoshihiro Gamou, Naoko Kamiko, Mai Matsumoto, Hanako Oyamada, Mari Ohsaki, Naomi Teguchi, Kikuo Yoshida, Junko Nakanishi 

National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology

the Fourth SETAC World Congress and 25th Annual Meeting in North America (Portland, Oregon, United States 2004/11/18)

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Abstract

In Japan, di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) is annually manufactured in amount of about 200,000 ton and is predominantly used as a plasticizer in flexible polyvinyl chloride (PVC) products. In addition to emission of DEHP from manufacturing and processing facilities, emission from PVC products in-use was also quantified by analyzing life cycle of DEHP in various products. 

Two approaches were applied to evaluate exposures of this chemical to human and aquatic organisms. The first approach was based on available monitoring data on DEHP in the environment and foodstuffs and was used to probabilistic assessment of human and ecological risks. The other was modeling approach and was used to identify significant pathways from various sources to human and aquatic organisms, quantitatively. 

Results of human health risk assessment show that human intake of DEHP is mainly due to orally ingestion of foodstuffs containing DEHP. Infant and children are identified as the high exposed subpopulation, but their risk levels to testis and reproductive toxicities are not of concern. 

Model simulation suggests that the major sources contributing human intake of DEHP are facilities producing PVC products and agricultural PVC film for protection of vegetations against cold and rain.
Results of ecological risk assessment show that risk levels of DEHP to aquatic and organisms benthos are also not of concern. The major source to the aquatic environment is identified to be PVC products used in outdoor.

Keywords

di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate , DEHP, human health risk, ecological risk, emission estimation