title: Age and Gender Differences in Urinary Levels of Eleven Phthalate Metabolites in General Taiwanese Population after a DEHP Episode.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In 2011, the Taiwan FDA disclosed illegal di(2-ethylhexyl phthalate) (DEHP) and dibutyl phthalate (DBP) use in beverage and nutrition supplements. We aim to determine phthalate exposure and other relevant factors in a sample of the general Taiwanese population in order to evaluate actual phthalate exposure levels after this disclosure of DEHP use.
  
  
  METHODS
  We selected subjects aged 7 years old and older in 2013 from the general Taiwanese population. First morning urine samples from each participant were collected to analyze 11 phthalate metabolites representing 7 parent phthalates using on-line liquid chromatography/ tandem mass spectrometry. An interview questionnaire was applied to obtain participant demographic characteristics, lifestyle, and other relevant factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median levels of metabolites of DEHP, including mono-ethylhexyl phthalate (MEHP), mono-(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate (MEOHP), mono-(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate (MEHHP), mono-(2-ethyl-5-carboxypentyl) phthalate (MECPP), DBP (DnBP and DiBP), including mono-n-butyl phthalate (MnBP) and mono-iso-butyl phthalate (MiBP), and mono-ethyl phthalate (MEP) in urine samples of 290 adults/ 97 minors (<18 years) were 7.9/ 6.1, 12.6/ 17.8, 22.0/ 25.8, 25.4/ 30.8, 18.1/ 23.6, 9.4/ 13.6 and 14.5/ 12.4 μg/g creatinine, respectively. Women (≧18 years) were exposed to significantly higher levels of MEHHP (P=0.011), MECPP (P=0.01), MnBP (P=0.001) and MEP (P<0.001) than men (≧18 years), whereas no gender difference was observed in minors. We found significant higher level of MEP (creatinine-unadjusted) in subject aged between 18 to 40 years old (P<0.001), especially for women. Exposure levels of MEOHP (P<0.001), MECPP (P=0.002) and MnBP (P=0.044) in minors were significantly higher than those of adults. High frequency usage of food preservation film and bags, and personal care products are potential sources of phthalates exposure in general Taiwanese.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings indicated that DEHP and DBP exposure in a sample of the general Taiwanese population varied by age and gender, possibly affected by different lifestyles, and continuing bio-monitoring surveillance is warranted.
authors.affiliation: National Environmental Health Research Center, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Po-Chin
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: National Environmental Health Research Center, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chih-Hsin
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.affiliation: National Environmental Health Research Center, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Wei-Yen
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: National Environmental Health Research Center, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Sih-Syuan
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan; Division of Preventive Medicine and Health Service Research, Institute of Population Health Sciences, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Wen-Harn
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.affiliation: National Environmental Health Research Center, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli, Taiwan; Division of Environmental Health and Occupational Medicine, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hung-Che
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Chiang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D003993:Dibutyl Phthalate / Q000652:urine; D004051:Diethylhexyl Phthalate / Q000652:urine*; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000652:urine*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010795:Phthalic Acids / Q000378:metabolism / Q000652:urine*; D012737:Sex Factors; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D010795:Phthalic Acids; D003993:Dibutyl Phthalate; C032279:phthalic acid; D004051:Diethylhexyl Phthalate