Exposure to select phthalates and phenols through use of personal care products among Californian adults and their children.
BACKGROUND
Certain phenols and phthalates are used in many consumer products including personal care products (PCPs).


OBJECTIVE
We aimed to study the associations between the use of PCPs and urinary concentrations of biomarkers of select phenols and phthalates among Californian adults and their children. As an additional aim we compared phenols and phthalate metabolites concentrations measured in adults and children urine samples collected the same day.


METHODS
Our study relied on a subsample of 90 adult-child pairs participating in the Study of Use of Products and Exposure Related Behavior (SUPERB). Each adult and child provided one to two urine samples in which we measured concentrations of selected phenols and phthalate metabolites. We computed Spearman correlation coefficients to compare concentrations measured in adults and children urine samples collected the same day. We used adjusted linear and Tobit regression models to study the associations between the use of PCPs in the past 24h and biomarker concentrations.


RESULTS
Benzophenone-3 and parabens concentrations were higher in adults compared to their children. Conversely children had higher mono-n-butyl phthalate and mono-isobutyl phthalate concentrations. No significant difference was observed for the other compounds. The total number of different PCPs used was positively associated with urinary concentrations of methyl, propyl and butyl parabens and the main metabolite of diethyl phthalate in adults. Among children, the use of a few specific products including liquid soap, hair care products and sunscreen was positively associated with urinary concentrations of some phenols or phthalate metabolites.


CONCLUSIONS
These results strengthen the body of evidence suggesting that use of PCPs is an important source of exposure to parabens and diethyl phthalate in adults and provide data on exposure to selected phenols and phthalates through use of PCPs in children.
Department of Public Health Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, USA; MIND (Medical Investigations of Neurodevelopmental Disorders) Institute, University of California, Davis, CA, USA. Electronic address: cphilippat@ucdavis.edu.
Claire
C
Philippat
Department of Public Health Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, USA.
Deborah
D
Bennett
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Antonia M
AM
Calafat
Department of Public Health Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, USA; MIND (Medical Investigations of Neurodevelopmental Disorders) Institute, University of California, Davis, CA, USA.
Irva Hertz
IH
Picciotto
D000328:Adult; D002140:California; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003358:Cosmetics; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D057230:Limit of Detection; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010636:Phenols / Q000633:toxicity* / Q000652:urine; D010795:Phthalic Acids / Q000633:toxicity* / Q000652:urine
D003358:Cosmetics; D010636:Phenols; D010795:Phthalic Acids
Endocrine disruptors; Parabens; Personal care products; Phenols; Phthalates; Temporal variability