CoChat
Sign Up
Cited by 86Effects and risks of endocrine disrupting chemicalsToxic Organic Pollutants ImpactPesticide Exposure and Toxicity

Phthalate metabolites in obese individuals undergoing weight loss: Urinary levels and estimation of the phthalates daily intake

Open access
Dirtu, Alin C., Geens, Tinne, Dirinck, Eveline, Malarvannan, Govindan, Neels, Hugo, Van Gaal, Luc, Jorens, Philippe G., Covaci, Adrian·2013·Environment International
DOI 10.1016/j.envint.2013.06.023
Open this paper in CoChat — free accountOpen PDF

Abstract

Human exposure to chemicals commonly encountered in our environment, like phthalates, is routinely assessed through urinary measurement of their metabolites. A particular attention is given to the specific population groups, such as obese, for which the dietary intake of environmental chemicals is higher. To evaluate the exposure to phthalates, nine phthalate metabolites (PMs) were analyzed in urine collected from obese individuals and a control population. Obese individuals lost weight through either bariatric surgery or a conservative weight loss program with dietary and lifestyle counseling. Urine samples were also collected from the obese individuals after 3, 6 and 12months of weight loss. Individual daily intakes of the corresponding phthalate diesters were estimated based on the urinary PM concentrations. A high variability was recorded for the levels of each PM in both obese and control urine samples showing the exposure to high levels of PMs in specific subgroups. The most important PM metabolite as percentage contribution to the total PM levels was mono-ethyl phthalate followed by the metabolites of di-butyl phthalate and di 2-ethyl-hexyl phthalate (DEHP). No differences in the PM levels and profiles between obese entering the program and controls were observed. Although paralleled by a significant decrease of their weight, an increase in the urinary PM levels after 3 to 6months loss was seen. Constant figures for the estimated phthalates daily intake were observed over the studied period, suggesting that besides food consumption, other human exposure sources to phthalates (e.g. air, dust) might be also important. The weight loss treatment method followed by obese individuals influenced the correlations between PM levels, suggesting a change of the intake sources with time. Except for few gender differences recorded between the urinary DEHP metabolites correlations, no other differences were observed for the urinary PM levels as a function of age, body mass index or waist circumference. Linear regression analysis showed almost no significance of the relationship between measured urinary PMs and serum free thyroxine, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) for all obese individuals participating to the study, while for the control samples, several PMs were significantly associated with the serum TSH levels.

The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.

Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.

A few free checks a day · papers already verified open instantly · results are public

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1016/j.envint.2013.06.023

Cites

3 of 3 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Claims the paper makes

The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.

Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.

A few free checks a day · papers already verified open instantly · results are public

Claims other papers make about this one

Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

  • Higher concentrations of MEP and DEHP were found in the serum and urine of individuals who were undergoing weight loss.

    “In contrast, higher concentrations of MEP and DEHP were found in the serum and urine of individuals who were undergoing weight loss [199].”

    From A Review of Biomonitoring of Phthalate Exposures (2019) · cites this paper as [199]

    Section 3.1 (page unavailable) reports higher urinary phthalate-metabolite levels at three months than at baseline, including a peak in MEP and a difference in total DEHP metabolites. Section 3 (page unavailable) specifies that the measurements were in urine; the cited paper does not establish higher serum concentrations. It measured DEHP metabolites, not DEHP itself. (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

Self-check

Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.

The self-check needs the paper’s full text.

Cites

Flagged first, then by citations

Research works printed but not linked: 45

  1. Adibi JJ, Whyatt RM, Williams PL, Calafat AM, Camann D, Herrick R, Nelson H, Bhat HK, Perera FA, Silva MJ, Hauser R. Characterization of phthalate exposure among preg- nant women assessed by repeat air and urine samples. Environ Health Perspect 2008;116:467-73.
  2. Albro PW, Jordan ST, Schroeder JL, Corbett JT. Chromatographic-separation and quantitative-determination of the metabolites of di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate from urine of laboratory-animals. J Chromatogr A 1982;224:65-79.
  3. Anderson WA, Castle L, Scotter MJ, Massey RC, Springall C. A biomarker approach to measuring human dietary exposure to certain phthalate diesters. Food Addit Contam 2001;18:1068-74.
  4. Api AM. Toxicological profile of diethyl phthalate: a vehicle for fragrance and cosmetic ingredients. Food Chem Toxicol 2001;39:97-108.
  5. Becker K, Goen T, Seiwert M, Conrad A, Pick-Fuss H, Muller J, Wittassek M, Schulz C, Kolossa-Gehring M. GerES IV: phthalate metabolites and bisphenol A in urine of German children. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2009;212:685-92.
  6. Bergh C, Torgrip R, Östman C. Simultaneous selective detection of organophosphate and phthalate esters using gas chromatography with positive ion chemical ioniza- tion tandem mass spectrometry and its application to indoor air and dust. Rapid Commun Mass Spectrom 2010;24:2859-67.
  7. Berman T, Hochner-Celnikier D, Calafat AM, Larry L, Needham LL, Amitai Y, Wormser U, Richter E. Phthalate exposure among pregnant women in Jerusalem, Israel: results of a pilot study. Environ Int 2009;35:353-7.
  8. Boas M, Feldt-Rasmussen U, Skakkebaek NE, Main KM. Environmental chemicals and thyroid function. Eur J Endocrinol 2006;154:599-611.
  9. Boas M, Frederiksen H, Feldt-Rasmussen U, Skakkebæk NE, Hegedüs L, Hilsted L, Juul A, Main KM. Childhood exposure to phthalates: associations with thyroid function, insulin-like growth factor I, and growth. Environ Health Perspect 2010;118:1458-64.
  10. Cocker J, Mason HJ, Warren ND, Cotton RJ. Creatinine adjustment of biological monitor- ing results. Occup Med (Oxford) 2011;61:349-53.
  11. ECHA (European Chemicals Agency). Member State Committee-support document for identification of dibutyl phthalate (DBP) as a substance of very high concern. Euro- pean Chemicals Agency; 2008b [October 1. Available from: http://echa.europa.eu/ doc/consultations/recommendations/prioritisations/prioritisationdbp.pdf]. EFSA (European Food Safety Authority). Opinion of the scientific panel in food addi- tives, flavourings, processing aids and materials in contact with food (AFC) on a re- quest from the Commission related to: Bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) for use in food contact materials. Question no EFSA-Q-2003-191. EFSA J 2005a;243:1-20.
  12. EFSA (European Food Safety Authority). Opinion of the scientific panel in food addi- tives, flavourings, processing aids and materials in contact with food (AFC) on a re- quest from the Commission related to: butylbenzylphthalate (BBP) for use in food contact materials. Question no EFSA-Q-2003-190. EFSA J 2005b;241:1-14.
  13. EFSA (European Food Safety Authority). Opinion of the scientific panel in food addi- tives, flavourings, processing aids and materials in contact with food (AFC) on a re- quest from the Commission related to: di-butylphthalate (DBP) for use in food contact materials. Question no EFSA-Q-2003-192. EFSA J 2005c;242:1-18.
  14. EFSA (European Food Safety Authority). Opinion of the scientific panel in food addi- tives, flavourings, processing aids and materials in contact with food (AFC) on a re- quest from the Commission related to: di-isononylphthalate (DINP) for use in food contact materials. Question no EFSA-Q-2003-1942. EFSA J 2005d;244:1-18.
  15. Frederiksen H, Aksglaede L, Sorensen K, Skakkebaek NE, Juul A, Andersson A-M. Uri- nary excretion of phthalate metabolites in 129 healthy Danish children and adoles- cents: estimation of daily phthalate intake. Environ Res 2011;111:656-63.
  16. Hauser R, Meeker JD, Duty S, Silva MJ, Calafat AM. Altered semen quality in relation to urinary concentrations of phthalate monoester and oxidative metabolites. Epide- miology 2006;17:682-91.
  17. Hines EP, Calafat AM, Silva MJ, Mendola P, Fenton SE. Concentrations of phthalate me- tabolites in milk, urine, saliva, and serum of lactating North Carolina women. Envi- ron Health Perspect 2009;117:86-92.
  18. Itoh H, Yoshida K, Masunaga S. Quantitative identification of unknown exposure path- ways of phthalates based on measuring their metabolites in human urine. Environ Sci Technol 2007;41:4542-7.
  19. James-Todd T, Stahlhut R, Meeker JD, Powell SG, Hauser R, Huang TY, Rich-Edwards J. Urinary phthalate metabolite concentrations and diabetes among women in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2001-2008. Environ Health Perspect 2012;120:1307-13.
  20. Koch HM, Calafat AM. Human body burdens of chemicals used in plastic manufacture. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2009;364:2063-78.
  21. Koch HM, Bolt HM, Preuss R, Angerer J. New metabolites of di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) in human urine and serum after single oral doses of deuterium-labelled DEHP. Arch Toxicol 2005;79:367-76.
  22. Koch HM, Becker K, Wittassek M, Seiwert M, Angerer J, Kolossa-Gehring M. Di-n-butylphthalate and butylbenzylphthalate-urinary metabolite levels and esti- mated daily intakes: Pilot study for the German Environmental Survey on children. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol 2007;17:378-87.
  23. Koch HM, Wittassek M, Brüning T, Angerer J, Heudorf U. Exposure to phthalates in 5-6 years old primary school starters in Germany-a human biomonitoring study and a cumulative risk assessment. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2011;214:188-95.
  24. Lhuguenot JC. Recent European Food Safety Authority toxicological evaluations of major phthalates used in food contact materials. Mol Nutr Food Res 2009;53:1063-70.
  25. Lin S, Ku H-Y, Su P-H, Chen J-W, Huang P-C, Angerer J, Wang S-L. Phthalate exposure in pregnant women and their children in central Taiwan. Chemosphere 2011;82:947-55.
  26. Lind PM, Roos V, Rönn M, Johansson L, Ahlström H, Kullberg J, Lind L. Serum concentra- tions of phthalate metabolites are related to abdominal fat distribution two years later in elderly women. Environ Health 2012a;11:1-8.
  27. Lind PM, Zethelius B, Lind L. Circulating levels of phthalate metabolites are associated with prevalent diabetes in the elderly. Diabetes Care 2012b;35:1519-24.
  28. Lorber M, Koch HM, Angerer J. A critical evaluation of the creatinine correction ap- proach: can it underestimate intakes of phthalates? A case study with di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol 2011;21:576-86.
  29. Main KM, Mortensen GK, Kaleva MM, Boisen KA, Damgaard IN, Chellakooty M, Schmidt IM, Suomi AM, Virtanen HE, Petersen DV, Andersson AM, Toppari J, Skakkebaek NE. Human breast milk contamination with phthalates and alterations of endogenous reproductive hormones in infants three months of age. Environ Health Perspect 2006;114:270-6.
  30. Meeker JD, Ferguson KK. Relationship between urinary phthalate and bisphenol A con- centrations and serum thyroid measures in U.S. adults and adolescents from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007-2008. Environ Health Perspect 2011;119:1396-402.
  31. Nagorka R, Scheller C, Ullrich D. Plasticizer in house dust. Gefahrst Reinhalt L 2005;65: 99-105.
  32. Ormond G, Nieuwenhuijsen MJ, Nelson P, Toledano MB, Iszatt N, Geneletti S, Elliott P. Endocrine disruptors in the workplace, hair spray, folate supplementation, and risk of hypospadias: case-control study. Environ Health Perspect 2009;117:303-7.
  33. Rudel RA, Perovich LJ. Endocrine disrupting chemicals in indoor and outdoor air. Atmos Environ 2009;43:170-81.
  34. Sathyanarayana S. Phthalates and children's health. Curr. Probl. Pediatr. Adolesc. Health Care 2008;38:34-49.
  35. Sjödin A, Wong LY, Jones RS, Park A, Zhang Y, Hodge C, Dipietro E, McClure C, Turner W, Needham LL, Patterson DG. Serum concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and polyhrominated biphenyl (PBB) in the united states popula- tion: 2003-2004. Environ Sci Technol 2008;42:1377-84.
  36. Staels B. PPAR agonists and the metabolic syndrome. Therapie 2007;62:319-26.
  37. Stahlhut RW, van WE, Dye TD, Cook S, Swan SH. Concentrations of urinary phthalate metabolites are associated with increased waist circumference and insulin resis- tance in adult U.S. males. Environ Health Perspect 2007;115:876-82.
  38. Tranfo G, Papaleo B, Caporossi L, Capanna S, De Rosa M, Pigini D, Corsetti F, Paci E. Uri- nary metabolite concentrations of phthalate metabolites in Central Italy healthy volunteers determined by a validated HPLC/MS/MS analytical method. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2013;216:481-5.
  39. Trasande L, Attina TM, Sathyanarayana S, Spanier AJ, Blustein J. Race/ethnicity specific associations of urinary phthalates with childhood body mass in a nationally repre- sentative sample. Environ Health Perspect 2013;121:501-6.
  40. Voorspoels S, Covaci A, Maervoet J, Schepens P. Relationship between age and levels of organochlorine contaminants in human serum of a Belgian population. Bull Envi- ron Contam Toxicol 2002;69:22-9.
  41. Wittassek M, Heger W, Koch HM, Becker K, Angerer J, Kolossa-Gehring M. Daily intake of di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) by German children-A comparison of two estimation models based on urinary DEHP metabolite levels. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2007a;210:35-42.
  42. Wittassek M, Wiesmuller GA, Koch HM, Eckard R, Dobler L, Muller J, Angerer J, Schluter C. Internal phthalate exposure over the last two decades -a retrospective human biomonitoring study. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2007b;210:319-33.
  43. Zamora-Ros R, Rabassa M, Cherubini A, Urpi-Sarda M, Llorach R, Bandinelli S, Ferrucci L, Andres-Lacueva C. Comparison of 24-h volume and creatinine-corrected total uri- nary polyphenol as a biomarker of total dietary polyphenols in the Invecchiare InCHIANTI study. Anal Chim Acta 2011;704:110-5.
  44. Zeng Q, Wei C, Wu Y, Li K, Ding S, Yuan J, Yang X, Chen M. Approach to distribution and accumulation of dibutyl phthalate in rats by immunoassay. Food Chem Toxicol 2013;56:18-27.
  45. Zoeller RT. Environmental chemicals impacting the thyroid: targets and consequences. Thyroid 2007;17:811-7.

Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Dirtu, A. C., Geens, T., Dirinck, E., Malarvannan, G., Neels, H., Van Gaal, L., Jorens, P. G., & Covaci, A.
Affiliations
University of Antwerp (BE)
Corresponding author
  • Dirtu, Alin C.
  • Covaci, Adrian
ORCID
Venue
Environment International
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2013-09
Volume
59
Pages
344-353
ISSN
0160-4120 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.envint.2013.06.023
OpenAlex
W2087888478
Cited by
86
References
3
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 11 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 1
FWCI
5.86
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Environment International (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
  • University of Antwerp (FA020000/2/3565)
  • Research Scientific Foundation-Flanders (FWO), Belgium
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Effects and risks of endocrine disrupting chemicals
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Toxic Organic Pollutants Impact
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Plant Science › Pesticide Exposure and Toxicity
Keywords
phthalate metabolites, obesity, weight loss, bariatric surgery, dietary weight loss, urinary biomonitoring, monoethyl phthalate, dibutyl phthalate, thyroid-stimulating hormone, thyroid function, environmental chemical exposure, exposure sources
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Air, Benzoates, Body Weight, Dibutyl Phthalate, Dust, Environmental Exposure, Environmental Pollutants, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Obesity, Phthalic Acids, Thyrotropin, Weight Loss, Linear Models, Young Adult

About these checks

Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.

Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.

Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.

What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›

Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review