title: Exposure of Preschool-Age Greek Children (RHEA Cohort) to Bisphenol A, Parabens, Phthalates, and Organophosphates.
abstract: Phthalate esters (PEs), bisphenol A (BPA), and parabens (PBs), which are used in numerous consumer products, are known for their endocrine disrupting properties. Organophosphate chemicals (OPs), which form the basis of the majority of pesticides, are known for their neurotoxic activity in humans. All of these chemicals are associated with health problems to which children are more susceptible. Once they enter the human body, PEs, BPA, PBs, and OPs are metabolized and/or conjugated and finally excreted via urine. Hence, human exposure to these substances is examined through a determination of the urinary concentrations of their metabolites. This study assessed the exposure of Greek preschool-age children to PEs, BPA, PBs, and OPs by investigating the urinary levels of seven PEs metabolites, six PBs, BPA, and six dialkyl phosphate metabolites in five-hundred samples collected from 4-year-old children, subjects of the "RHEA" mother-child cohort in Crete, Greece. Daily intake of endocrine disruptors, calculated for 4 year old children, was lower than the corresponding daily intake for 2.5 year old children, which were determined in an earlier study of the same cohort. In some cases the daily intake levels exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI) values and the EFSA Reference Doses (RfD) (e.g., for di-2-ethyl-hexyl phthalate, 3.6% and 1% of the children exceeded RfD and TDi, respectively). Exposure was linked to three main sources: PEs-BPA to plastic, PBs-diethyl phthalate to personal hygiene products, and OPs to food.
authors.affiliation: Environmental Chemical Processes Laboratory (ECPL), Department of Chemistry, University of Crete , 71003 Heraklion, Greece.
authors.forename: Antonis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Myridakis
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Medicine, Medical School, University of Crete , 71003 Heraklion, Greece.
authors.forename: Georgia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chalkiadaki
authors.affiliation: Environmental Chemical Processes Laboratory (ECPL), Department of Chemistry, University of Crete , 71003 Heraklion, Greece.
authors.forename: Marianna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fotou
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona E-08003, Spain.
authors.forename: Manolis
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kogevinas
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Medicine, Medical School, University of Crete , 71003 Heraklion, Greece.
authors.forename: Leda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chatzi
authors.affiliation: Environmental Chemical Processes Laboratory (ECPL), Department of Chemistry, University of Crete , 71003 Heraklion, Greece.
authors.forename: Euripides G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Stephanou
mesh_terms: D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000737:chemistry; D004952:Esters; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D005502:Food; D006115:Greece; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019055:No-Observed-Adverse-Effect Level; D010755:Organophosphates / Q000737:chemistry*; D010226:Parabens / Q000737:chemistry*; D010575:Pesticides; D010636:Phenols / Q000737:chemistry*; D010710:Phosphates; D010795:Phthalic Acids / Q000737:chemistry*; D010969:Plastics; D000098826:Bisphenol A Compounds
chemical_list: D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D004952:Esters; D010755:Organophosphates; D010226:Parabens; D010575:Pesticides; D010636:Phenols; D010710:Phosphates; D010795:Phthalic Acids; D010969:Plastics; C006780:bisphenol A; D000098826:Bisphenol A Compounds