title: Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) exposure of voluntary plasma and platelet donors.
abstract: Each year thousands of healthy volunteers undergo apheresis procedures to donate blood components and safe lives. However, many disposables used in apheresis contain di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP). This way, donors are exposed to DEHP, which is a reproductive and developmental toxicant in animals and a suspected endocrine modulator in humans. We quantified the DEHP exposure of six plasma donors, six discontinuous-flow platelet donors and six continuous-flow platelet donors by determining three specific metabolites in urine (5OH-MEHP: mono(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl)phthalate; 5oxo-MEHP: mono(2-ethyl-5-oxo-hexyl)phthalate and MEHP: mono(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate). We found maximum concentrations in urine samples after the discontinuous-flow plateletpheresis procedure with 826 microg/l for 5OH-MEHP, 774 microg/l for 5oxo-MEHP and 266 microg/l for MEHP (mean of the six volunteers). Metabolite excretions were found to be significantly (p<0.0001) higher for both plateletpheresis techniques compared to plasmapheresis and controls. Continuous-flow plateletpheresis led to significantly higher (p<0.0001) excretions than discontinuous-flow plateletpheresis. Mean absolute DEHP exposures were 1.2 mg for discontinuous- and 2.1 mg for continuous-flow plateletpheresis. Exposure for plasmapheresis (0.37 mg) was in the range of the controls (0.41 mg). Mean DEHP doses for both plateletpheresis techniques (18.1 and 32.3 microg/kg/day) were close to or exceeded the reference dose (RfD) of the US EPA and tolerable daily intake (TDI) value of the EU on the day of the apheresis. Therefore, margins of safety might be insufficient to protect especially young men and women in their reproductive age from effects on reproductivity. At present, discontinuous-flow devices should be preferred to avert conceivable health risks from plateletpheresis donors. Strategies to avoid DEHP exposure of donors during apheresis need to be developed.
authors.affiliation: Institute and Outpatient Clinic of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Schillerstrasse 25/29, 91054 Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: Holger M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Koch
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Angerer
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Drexler
authors.forename: Reinhold
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Eckstein
authors.forename: Volker
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Weisbach
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001781:Blood Component Removal / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001782:Blood Donors; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004051:Diethylhexyl Phthalate / Q000378:metabolism / Q000652:urine*; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010968:Plasticizers / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D012098:Reproduction; D012449:Safety
chemical_list: D010968:Plasticizers; D004051:Diethylhexyl Phthalate