What is the chemical formula for phthalates?

What is the chemical formula for phthalates?

Phthalate

What are phthalates derived from?

Phthalates (US: /ˈθæleɪts/, UK: /ˈθɑːleɪtsˌ ˈfθælɪts/), or phthalate esters, are esters of phthalic acid. Lower-molecular-weight phthalates, those derived from C3-C6 alcohols, are being gradually replaced in many products in the United States, Canada, and European Union over health concerns.

How are phthalates released?

Phthalates can be released from a product by heat, agitation, and prolonged storage. The release can occur during all the stages of the product lifecycle – from production, through use, to disposal. Which population of humans is at a greater health risk to phthalate exposure?

How is diethyl phthalate manufactured?

Diethyl phthalate is produced industrially by the reaction of phthalic anhydride with ethanol in the presence of concentrated sulfuric acid catalyst (Anonymous 1985; HSDB 1994). Production volumes increased again in 1988 to 26 million pounds (Kamrin and Mayor 1991).

What are the harmful effects of phthalates?

In the past few years, researchers have linked phthalates to asthma, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, breast cancer, obesity and type II diabetes, low IQ, neurodevelopmental issues, behavioral issues, autism spectrum disorders, altered reproductive development and male fertility issues.

What is phthalate test?

Phthalates is a general term for compounds which result from the reaction of phthalic anhydride and alcohol. Such substances are mainly employed as plasticisers make plastics and rubber more piable.

How phthalates affect the endocrine system?

Phthalates are known endocrine disruptors and associated with decreased fecundity, pregnancy loss, and adverse obstetrical outcomes, however the underlying mechanisms remain to be established.

How does phthalates affect the environment?

Phthalates are readily released into the environment and create a risk of exposure for humans and other living organisms. They are characterized by reproductive toxicity in humans and animals, they can cause infertility and reproductive problems in males.

How do you counteract the effects of phthalates?

To reduce their phthalate-exposure sources, we developed seven intervention strategies: handwashing, not using plastic containers, not eating food with a plastic bag/plastic-wrap cover, not microwaving food, not taking nutrition supplements, and reducing use of cosmetics/personal care products.

What are the harmful effects of phthalates in animals and humans?

Recent animal toxicity studies indicate that exposure to certain phthalates results in severe disorders in the developing male reproductive system, including defects in the external genitalia, undescended testes and testicular lesions.

How are phthalate esters prepared for PVC applications?

Phthalate esters are prepared by the esterification of two moles of a monohydric alcohol with one mole of phthalic anhydride as shown in Figure 2. Although phthalate esters can be prepared from many different alcohols, the range of alcohols used to make plasticizers for PVC applications is generally limited from C4 to C13 alcohols.

How is the monomer diallyl phthalate prepared?

Diallyl phthalate resins are products of the reaction of allyl alcohol and an organic acid or anhydride. The monomer diallyl phthalate can be prepared by direct esterification of allyl alcohol and phthalic anhydride.

Are there any health problems with phthalate esters?

Backing up this decision, recent findings suggest that long-term exposure to DEP, one of the widely used phthalate esters, can lead to serious health problems, and most perfumes contain nonnegligible amounts of DEP.

What is the absorption peak of phthalate acid?

Phthalates are often used as plasticizers for polyvinyl, polyvinyl chloride, or cellulose resins. They are esters of phthalic acid. Diethyl phthalate, dibutyl phthalate, and butyl benzyl phthalate show an absorption peak around 275 nm ( Fig. 3.63 ).