title: Increased urinary 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine levels in workers exposed to di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate in a waste plastic recycling site in China.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is a common plasticizer used in industrial and diverse consumer products. Animal studies indicate DEHP caused developmental, reproductive, and hepatic toxicities. However, human studies of the potential effects of DEHP are limited.
  
  
  METHODS
  The exposed site with a history of over 20 years of waste plastic recycling was located in Hunan Province, China. The reference site without known DEHP pollution source was about 50 km far away from the exposed site. In this study, 181 workers working in plastic waste recycling and 160 gender-age matched farmers were recruited. DEHP concentrations in water and cultivated soil samples, serum thyroid-stimulating hormone, malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), urinary 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), and micronuclei frequency in human capillary blood lymphocytes were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean levels of DEHP were greater in environment at the recycling site than at reference site (industry wastewater for the exposed: 42.43 μg/l; well water: 14.20 vs. 0.79 μg/l, pond water: 135.68 vs. 0.37 μg/l, cultivated soil: 13.07 vs. 0.81 mg/kg, p < 0.05 for all). The workers had higher median levels of MDA (3.80 vs. 3.14 nmol/ml) and urinary 8-OHdG (340.37 vs. 268.18 μmol/mol creatinine) and decreased SOD activities (112.15 vs. 123.82 U/ml) than the reference group (p < 0.01 for all). Multivariate analysis revealed that the history of working in waste plastic recycling was an independent risk factor for the increased urinary 8-OHdG levels in the male workers (p < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The occupational DEHP exposure might contribute to oxidative deoxyribonucleic acid damage in the male workers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 13 Hongkong Road, Wuhan 430030, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Kai Min
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.forename: Shao You
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Sheng Tao
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Pu
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Shun Qing
authors.initials: SQ
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Hong Yan
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Jian Shu
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zhi Qiang
authors.initials: ZQ
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Rong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tao
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yuan
mesh_terms: D000080242:8-Hydroxy-2'-Deoxyguanosine; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000652:urine; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002681:China; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003849:Deoxyguanosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000652:urine; D004051:Diethylhexyl Phthalate / Q000633:toxicity*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007220:Industrial Waste / Q000032:analysis*; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D010968:Plasticizers / Q000633:toxicity*; D010969:Plastics; D059027:Recycling; D012987:Soil / Q000032:analysis; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000097:blood; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood; D014867:Water / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D007220:Industrial Waste; D010968:Plasticizers; D010969:Plastics; D012987:Soil; D014867:Water; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D000080242:8-Hydroxy-2'-Deoxyguanosine; D013972:Thyrotropin; D004051:Diethylhexyl Phthalate; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D003849:Deoxyguanosine