Skip to Content
Merck
  • Phthalate Metabolites in Urine Samples from School Children in Taipei, Taiwan.

Phthalate Metabolites in Urine Samples from School Children in Taipei, Taiwan.

Archives of environmental contamination and toxicology (2015-03-10)
Jia Bao, Xiao-Wen Zeng, Xiao-Di Qin, Yungling Leo Lee, Xi Chen, Yi-He Jin, Nai-Jun Tang, Guang-Hui Dong
ABSTRACT

In 2011, Taiwan authorities reported that two phthalates, including di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate and di-iso-nonyl phthalate, were intentionally introduced into a variety of foods and beverages during the course of 15 years. However, little is known about body burdens of phthalate contaminations in local residents, especially children recently living in Taiwan. In the present study, five target phthalate metabolite analytes-including mono-methyl phthalate, mono-ethyl phthalate, mono-n-butyl phthalate (MBP), mono-benzyl phthalate (MBzP), and mono-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP)-in spot urine samples were analyzed by way of high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry-mass spectrometry. All of the urine samples were collected from 225 healthy school children between 12 and 15 years of age (average 13.6) in the Taipei area, Taiwan, between 2009 and 2010. As the dominant urinary phthalate metabolites in Taiwanese school children, MEHP and MBP contributed 61 and 29 % of all of the target analytes, respectively. MEHP had the highest median of 29.8 μg/g creatinine (range of 13.1-72.8), which was greater than those reported for school children in the other countries during the same period, whereas MBP had a median of 14.3 μg/g creatinine (range 7.91-27.8). Statistically, urinary concentrations of MBP, MBzP, and MEHP were determined to have significantly positive correlations with the ages of Taiwanese school children (p < 0.05). Furthermore, urinary levels of MBzP in male children were considerably greater than those in female children (p = 0.006).

MATERIALS
Product Number
Brand
Product Description

Sigma-Aldrich
mono-Butyl phthalate, 97.0-103.0% (T)
Sigma-Aldrich
Acetic acid-12C2, 99.9 atom % 12C
Sigma-Aldrich
Acetic acid, ≥99.5%, FCC, FG
Sigma-Aldrich
Acetic acid, natural, ≥99.5%, FG
Sigma-Aldrich
Acetic acid, for luminescence, BioUltra, ≥99.5% (GC)
Sigma-Aldrich
Acetonitrile, electronic grade, 99.999% trace metals basis
Sigma-Aldrich
Acetonitrile, anhydrous, 99.8%
Sigma-Aldrich
5α-Androstan-17β-ol-3-one, purum, ≥99.0% (TLC)
Sigma-Aldrich
mono-Methyl phthalate, 97%
Sigma-Aldrich
5α-Androstan-17β-ol-3-one, ≥97.5%
Sigma-Aldrich
Creatinine, anhydrous, ≥98%
Sigma-Aldrich
Ultrapure Acetonitrile