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Urinary phthalate metabolites and their biotransformation products: predictors and temporal variability among men and women

Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology volume 22, pages 376–385 (2012)Cite this article

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Abstract

Most epidemiology studies investigating the potential adverse health effects in relation to phthalates measure the urinary concentration of the free plus glucuronidated species of phthalate metabolites (i.e., total concentration) to estimate exposure. However, the free species may represent the biologically relevant dose. In this study, we collected 943 urine samples from 112 men and 157 women and assessed the between- and within-person variability and predictors of (1) the free and total urinary concentrations of phthalate metabolites, and (2) the percentage of free phthalate metabolites (a potential phenotypic indicator of individual susceptibility). We also explored the proportion of urinary di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) metabolites contributed to by the bioactive mono-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (MEHP), considered a possible indicator of susceptibility to phthalate exposure. The percentage of phthalate metabolites present in the free form was less stable over time than the total metabolite concentration, and, therefore, it is not likely a useful indicator of metabolic susceptibility. Thus, the added costs and effort involved in the measurement of free in addition to total metabolite concentrations in large-scale studies may not be justified. Conversely, the proportion of DEHP metabolites contributed to by MEHP was more stable within individuals over time and may be a promising indicator of susceptibility if time of day of sample collection is carefully considered.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by grants P30ES000002, R01ES009718, R01ES018872, P20ES018171, P42ES017198, and P30ES017885 from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), and RD83480001 from the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). We acknowledge Manori Silva, Ella Samandar, and Jim Preau for measuring the urinary concentrations of phthalate metabolites.

DISCLAIMER

The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

    John D Meeker

  2. Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

    Antonia M Calafat

  3. Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

    Russ Hauser

  4. Vincent Memorial Obstetrics and Gynecology Service, Andrology Laboratory and In Vitro Fertilization Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

    Russ Hauser

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  1. John D Meeker
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Correspondence to John D Meeker.

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Meeker, J., Calafat, A. & Hauser, R. Urinary phthalate metabolites and their biotransformation products: predictors and temporal variability among men and women. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol 22, 376–385 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/jes.2012.7

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