城市污泥和化肥对水稻土种植的通菜中邻苯二甲酸酯（PAEs）的影响

对水稻土施用城市污泥和化肥盆栽通菜,应用GC／MS联机检测技术对通菜中6种邻苯二甲酸酯化合物(PAEs)进行分析,探讨施肥对通菜中PAEs含量的影响,结果表明,各处理通菜中6种PAEs化合物的总含量(∑PAEs)在2．129～7.111mg·kg^-1之间,依次为广州污泥+化肥(7．111mg·kg^-1)>广州污泥(4．767mg·kg^-1)>佛山污泥(3;569mg·kg^-1)>佛山污泥+化肥(3．305mg·kg^-1)>化肥(2．638mg·kg^-1)>空白对照(2．129mg·kg^-1)。显示了施肥造成通菜中∑PAEs不同程度的提高,各处理通菜中的PAEs均以个别化合物为主,其中空白对照、化肥、佛山污泥和广州污泥处理的通菜中邻苯二甲酸丁基苄基酯(BBP)占∑PAEs的40％～81％。佛山污泥+化肥处理的通菜中邻苯二甲酸正二丁酯(DnBP)占∑PAEs的56％,而广州污泥+化肥处理的通菜中邻苯二甲酸丁基苄基酯(BBP)、邻苯二甲酸正二辛酯(DnOP)和邻苯二甲酸(2-乙基己基)酯(DEHP)各占∑PAEs的30％左右,通菜中∑PAEs和多数化合物的含量不同程度地大于其在根系中的含量。     

城市污泥与稻草堆肥中邻苯二甲酸酯（PAEs）的研究

将广州城市污泥与稻草进行翻堆、接菌-翻堆、连续通气和间歇通气4种方式的堆肥,应用GC／MS技术对堆肥中6种属于USEPA优控污染物的邻苯二甲酸醇化合物(PAEs)进行分析,探讨堆肥产物中PAEs的含量分布以及不同方式堆肥对PAEs的降解效果,结果表明,4种方式堆肥中PAEs总含量(∑PAEs)在9．815～17．832mg·kg^-1之间,依次为翻堆(17．832mg·kg^-1)>接菌-翻堆(13．927mg·kg^-1)>间隙通气(10．765mg·kg^-1)>连续通气(9．815mg·kg^-1),堆肥中PAEs以邻苯二甲酸正二辛酯(DhOP)为主,占∑PAEs的82．2％～89．696,不同方式堆肥中∑PAEs的降解率为连续通气(45．71％)>间隙通气(40．4696)>接菌-翻堆(22．97％)>翻堆(1．3796)(平均降解率为27．63％),其中邻苯二甲酸二乙醇(DEP)、邻苯二甲酸正二丁酯(DnBP)和邻苯二甲酸丁基苄基酯(BBP)的降解率分别为95．7696～98．6896、79．5696～99．46％和87．42％～98．42％;但邻苯二甲酸二甲酯(DMP)和邻苯二甲酸正二辛酯的含量反而增加,邻苯二甲酸(2-乙基己基)酯(DEHP)在所有堆肥中均未检出。     

Anaerobic degradation of phthalic acid esters during digestion of municipal solid waste under landfilling conditions

Anaerobic microorganisms in municipal solid waste samples from laboratory-scale landfill reactors and a pilot-plant biogas digestor were investigated with the aim of assessing their ability to transform four commercially used phthalic acid esters (PAEs) and phthalic acid (PA). The PAEs studied were diethyl phthalate (DEP), butylbenzyl phthalate (BBP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP). No biological transformation of DEHP could be detected in any of the experiments. Together with waste samples from the simulated landfilling conditions, the PAEs (except DEHP) were hydrolytically transformed to their corresponding monoesters. These accumulated as end products, and in most cases they were not further degraded. During incubation with waste from the biogas digestor, the PAEs (except DEHP) were completely degraded to methane and carbon dioxide. The influence of the landfill development phase on the transformations was investigated utilizing PA and DEP as model substances. We found that during both the intense and stable methanogenic (but not the acidogenic) phases, the microoganisms in the samples had the potential to transform PA. A shorter lag phase was observed for the PA transformation in the samples from the stable methanogenic phase as compared with earlier phases. This indicates an increased capacity to degrade PA during the aging phases of the municipal solid waste in landfills. No enhancement of the DEP transformation could be observed as conditions in the methanogenic landfill model changed over a year's time. The results indicate that microorganisms developing in a methanogenic landfill environment have a substantially lower potential to degrade PAEs compared with those developing in a biogas reactor.Abbreviations BBP butylbenzyl phthalate - DEHP bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate - CoA coenzyme A - DBP dibutyl phthalate - DEP diethyl phthalate - DS dry solids - MBeP monobenzyl phthalate - MBuP monobutyl phthalate - MEP monoethyl phthalate - MSW municipal solid waste - PA phthalic acid - PAE(s) phthalic acid ester(s) - VFA volatile fatty acids     

电子垃圾拆解地区土壤和植物中邻苯二甲酸酯分布特征

近年来,电子垃圾不当拆解带来的环境问题引起国际社会的极大关注.本研究对浙江省台州市不同电子垃圾拆解地区土壤和植物样品中5种邻苯二甲酸酯类（PAEs）污染物进行了测定分析.结果表明：土壤（以干质量计）中PAEs类污染物的浓度为12.566~46.669 mg·kg^-1,其中邻苯二甲酸二异辛酯（DEHP）、邻苯二甲酸二丁酯（DBP）和邻苯二甲酸二乙酯（DEP）相对含量较高,约占PAEs总量的94%以上.拆解地区蚕豆（Vicia faba L.）中PAEs总量明显高于同地区其他植物,且土壤和所有植物体内PAEs浓度相关性均不显著(P>0.05).与美国国家环保局制定的土壤PAEs治理标准比较,台州电子垃圾拆解地区土壤PAEs污染较为严重.     

Effects of three phthalate esters on the life-table demography of freshwater rotifer <Emphasis Type="Italic">Brachionus calyciflorus</Emphasis> Pallas

Phthalate esters (PAEs) are mainly used in the polymer industry as external plasticizers in PVC, and tend to migrate slowly out of the plastic, either into the air by volatilization or into water or other solvents by dissolution. Di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP), butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP) and di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) are three members of PAEs, identified as priority controlled hazardous substances by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, and have been shown to have potential for endocrine disrupting effects on vertebrates and humans. The effects of DBP, BBP and DEHP on survival and reproduction of the freshwater rotifer Brachionus calyciflorus were studied using life-table demographic methods. The results showed that all the life-table demographic parameters of B. calyciflorus were markedly affected by DBP and BBP, but not by DEHP. The net reproductive rate representing the output of reproduction was more affected than all the other parameters representing population growth, development or survival of the rotifers. Compared to the solvent control, DBP and BBP, both at 500 μg l⁻¹, significantly increased the net reproductive rate, and prolonged the generation time and the life expectancy at hatching of the rotifers. DBP at 50 μg l⁻¹ markedly decreased the intrinsic rate of population increase of the rotifers, but the reverse was true for BBP at 50 and 500 μg l⁻¹. Among all the parameters, the intrinsic rate of population increase was the most sensitive to DBP and BBP. The levels of PAEs in water from all the studied rivers and lakes in the world did not affect the population growth of rotifers.     

Biodegradation of phthalic acid esters (PAEs) in soil bioaugmented with acclimated activated sludge

The degradation characteristics of four phthalic acid esters (PAEs), i.e. di-methyl phthalate (DMP), di-ethyl phthalate (DEP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) and di-n-octyl phthalate (DOP) in the soil augmented with acclimated sludge was investigated in order to assess the efficacy of bioaugmentation as a strategy for remediating PAEs-contaminated soil and correlate the degradation rate of PAEs with their alkyl chain length. The results demonstrated that PAEs with shorter alkyl chain, that is, DMP and DEP could be degraded more quickly than DBP and DOP. The degradation of four PAEs in the soil conformed to a first-order reaction kinetic equation. The half-lives of PAEs degradation decreased significantly with increasing carbon number of the alcohol moiety. Half-lives decreased from 2.29 days for DMP to 28.4 days for DOP when the carbon number of alkyl chain increased from one for DMP to eight for DOP. The degradation rate of PAEs and the corresponding half-lives could correlate with the alkyl chain length and their octanol–water partition coefficients (K_ow) quite well for the four PAEs tested in this study.     

Contamination of Phthalate Esters (PAEs) in Typical Wastewater-Irrigated Agricultural Soils in Hebei,North China

The Wangyang River (WYR) basin is a typical wastewater irrigation area in Hebei Province, North China. This study investigated the concentration and distribution of six priority phthalate esters (PAEs) in the agricultural soils in this area. Thirty-nine soil samples (0–20 cm) were collected along the WYR to assess the PAE residues in soils. Results showed that PAEs are ubiquitous environmental contaminants in the topsoil obtained from the irrigation area. The concentrations of Σ₆PAEs range from 0.191 μg g⁻¹ dw to 0.457 μg g⁻¹ dw with an average value of 0.294 μg g⁻¹ dw. Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP) are the dominant PAE species in the agricultural soils. Among the DEHP concentrations, the highest DEHP concentration was found at the sites close to the villages; this result suggested that dense anthropogenic activities and random garbage disposal in the rural area are possible sources of PAEs. The PAE concentrations were weakly and positively correlated with soil organic carbon and soil enzyme activities; thus, these factors can affect the distribution of PAEs. This study further showed that only dimethyl phthalate (DMP) concentrations exceeded the recommended allowable concentrations; no remediation measures are necessary to control the PAEs in the WYR area. However, the PAEs in the topsoil may pose a potential risk to the ecosystem and human health in this area. Therefore, the exacerbating PAE pollution should be addressed.     

Distribution of Phthalate Esters in Sediments of Kaohsiung Harbor,Taiwan

The major objectives of this research are to study the species and concentration of phthalate esters (PAEs), an organic endocrine disruptor, in the sediments of Kaohsiung Harbor, Taiwan. Twenty monitoring stations were installed in the waterways of Kaohsiung Harbor to collect sediment samples for analyzing six species of PAEs. Results of laboratory analyses show that concentrations of ΣPAE₆ in the harbor sediment are between 0.40 and 34.8 mg/kg with an average of 5.02 mg/kg. Among all chemicals, di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is the major species that constitutes 92% of all chemicals found in the sediment. Where the spatial distribution of the chemicals is concerned, all rivers (i.e., Love River, Canon River, and Salt River) show the highest concentrations near the mouth where they discharge into the harbor. This indicates that major sources of pollution originate from the upstream municipal and industrial wastewater discharges. Distributions of PAEs during both wet and dry seasons show that PAEs are more easily disbursed in the receiving sea water, leading to a wider range of chemical distribution, and hence most of the chemicals are accumulated in the harbor water channel. The assessment of ecological toxicity indicates that concentrations of the 88% DEHP found in the sediment are higher than environmental risk limits (ERLs), implying that the Kaohsiung Harbor sediments pose potential risks to the local ecological system. Hence, an effective PAE management and control strategy must be developed and implemented in order to improve the harbor sediment quality, and keep the harbor ecological environment free from the interference of chemicals that interrupt endocrine hormones.     

Toxicogenomic Screening of Replacements for Di(2-Ethylhexyl) Phthalate (DEHP) Using the Immortalized TM4 Sertoli Cell Line

Phthalate plasticizers such as di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) are being phased out of many consumer products because of their endocrine disrupting properties and their ubiquitous presence in the environment. The concerns raised from the use of phthalates have prompted consumers, government, and industry to find alternative plasticizers that are safe, biodegradable, and have the versatility for multiple commercial applications. We examined the toxicogenomic profile of mono(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP, the active metabolite of DEHP), the commercial plasticizer diisononyl cyclohexane-1,2-dicarboxylate (DINCH), and three recently proposed plasticizers: 1,4-butanediol dibenzoate (BDB), dioctyl succinate (DOS), and dioctyl maleate (DOM), using the immortalized TM4 Sertoli cell line. Results of gene expression studies revealed that DOS and BDB clustered with control samples while MEHP, DINCH and DOM were distributed far away from the control-DOS-BDB cluster, as determined by principle component analysis. While no significant changes in gene expression were found after treatment with BDB and DOS, treatment with MEHP, DINCH and DOM resulted in many differentially expressed genes. MEHP upregulated genes downstream of PPAR and targeted pathways of cholesterol biosynthesis without modulating the expression of PPAR’s themselves. DOM upregulated genes involved in glutathione stress response, DNA repair, and cholesterol biosynthesis. Treatment with DINCH resulted in altered expression of a large number of genes involved in major signal transduction pathways including ERK/MAPK and Rho signalling. These data suggest DOS and BDB may be safer alternatives to DEHP/MEHP than DOM or the commercial alternative DINCH.     

Phthalic Acid Esters in Soils from Vegetable Greenhouses in Shandong Peninsula,East China

Soils at depths of 0 cm to 10 cm, 10 cm to 20 cm, and 20 cm to 40 cm from 37 vegetable greenhouses in Shandong Peninsula, East China, were collected, and 16 phthalic acid esters (PAEs) were detected using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). All 16 PAEs could be detected in soils from vegetable greenhouses. The total of 16 PAEs (Σ₁₆PAEs) ranged from 1.939 mg/kg to 35.442 mg/kg, with an average of 6.748 mg/kg. Among four areas, including Qingdao, Weihai, Weifang, and Yantai, the average and maximum concentrations of Σ₁₆PAEs in soils at depths of 0 cm to 10 cm appeared in Weifang, which has a long history of vegetable production and is famous for extensive greenhouse cultivation. Despite the different concentrations of Σ₁₆PAEs, the PAE compositions were comparable. Among the 16 PAEs, di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), di-n-octyl phthalate (DnOP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP), and diisobutyl phthalate (DiBP) were the most abundant. Compared with the results on agricultural soils in China, soils that are being used or were used for vegetable greenhouses had higher PAE concentrations. Among PAEs, dimethyl phthalate (DMP), diethyl phthalate (DEP) and DnBP exceeded soil allowable concentrations (in US) in more than 90% of the samples, and DnOP in more than 20%. Shandong Peninsula has the highest PAE contents, which suggests that this area is severely contaminated by PAEs.     

地膜使用年限对遵义市烟田土壤和烟叶邻苯二甲酸酯累积的影响

研究地膜使用年限对土壤和烟叶邻苯二甲酸酯(PAEs)积累的影响,以明确地膜持续使用条件下PAEs的土壤污染分布特征及在烟叶中的富集状况.在遵义市连阡村和沙湾村采集了不同覆膜年限的烟田土壤及相应的烟叶,采用气相色谱仪质谱联用技术(GC-MS),对土壤-烟叶中6种优先控制PAEs含量进行了测定.结果表明: 所有土壤和烟叶样品中6种邻苯二甲酸酯化合物累计(∑PAEs)分别为(2.66±0.60)和(3.58±0.64) mg·kg^-1,其中,邻苯二甲酸二(2-乙基己)酯(DEHP)含量最高,邻苯二甲酸正二丁酯(DBP)次之,二者之和分别占土壤和烟叶∑PAEs的92.7%和88.9%.DEHP、DBP、邻苯二甲酸二乙酯(DEP)和邻苯二甲酸丁基苄基酯(BBP)检出率均为100.0%,邻苯二甲酸二甲酯(DMP)的检出率略低,邻苯二甲酸正二辛酯(DnOP)检出率最低.随着地膜使用年限的增加,土壤和烟叶中PAEs含量显著增加,且在地膜使用的前1~ 8年增加更为明显,后期趋于平缓.土壤和烟叶中的PAEs含量与覆膜年限呈显著正相关关系,覆膜年限的增加会显著促进土壤和烟叶中PAEs的积累.烟叶与土壤之间∑PAEs的累积量相关性不显著.     

城市污泥中邻苯二甲酸酯(PAEs)的厌氧微生物降解

邻苯二甲酸酯(PAEs)是城市污泥中普遍存在的一类具有内分泌干扰性作用的有机污染物.研究污泥厌氧生物处理过程中PAEs的微生物降解对保障污泥农用的安全性十分必要.本文以污泥中两种主要的PAEs——邻苯二甲酸二丁酯(DBP)和邻苯二甲酸(2-乙基己)酯(DEHP)为研究对象,通过比较PAEs在污泥厌氧消化系统与发酵产氢系统中降解过程的差异及系统污泥特性的变化,分析不同污泥厌氧生物处理系统中影响PAEs降解的可能因素.结果表明: 在污泥厌氧发酵系统中,DBP在6 d内降解率达99.6%, DEHP在整个14 d的培养期间也降解了46.1%;在发酵产氢系统中,在14 d培养过程DBP的降解率仅为19.5%,DEHP则没有明显的降解.与厌氧消化系统相比,PAEs在发酵产氢系统中的降解受到明显抑制,这与发酵产氢过程中微生物量下降、革兰氏阳性菌/革兰氏阴性菌(G⁺/G^-)和真菌/细菌变小及挥发性脂肪酸(包括乙酸、丙酸及丁酸)浓度升高有关.     

Comparison on the removal of phthalic acid diesters in a bioreactor landfill and a conventional landfill

The removal of phthalic acid diesters (PAEs) in municipal solid waste (MSW) from two simulated landfill reactors was compared. The results showed that the original concentrations of dimethyl phthalate (DMP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and dioctyl phthalate (DOP) in the refuse were 3.3 μg g⁻¹, 18.5 μg g⁻¹ and 0.8 μg g⁻¹, respectively. The concentrations of DMP and DBP in both leachate and refuse decreased greatly during decomposition of the waste in both reactors. The major loss of PAEs from the landfill occurred during an active methanogenic environment with a low concentration of volatile fatty acids (VFA) in the later period. In addition, strong correlations were found between the residual DMP, DBP concentrations and the biologically degradable material (BDM) of the refuse. Finally, PAEs degraded more rapidly in the landfill that was operated in conjunction with the methanogenic reactor when compared to the landfill with direct leachate discharge.     

Sex Steroid Hormone Levels and Reproductive Development of Eight-Year-Old Children following In Utero and Environmental Exposure to Phthalates

In utero exposure to phthalates may adversely affect reproductive development in children due to the anti-androgenic properties of the pthalates. Accordingly, we aimed to determine the effects of in utero and environmental phthalate exposure on the reproductive development of eight-year-old children. We recruited 180 children in central Taiwan during November 2001 and followed them until August 2009 when all children became eight years old. Birth outcomes were collected. Bone age, hormone concentrations, and reproductive developmental stages were determined. Phthalate metabolite levels, including mono-2-ethylhexyl phthalate [MEHP], mono-n-butyl phthalate [MnBP], and mono-benzyl phthalate [MBzP], were assessed. No significant gender differences were found in in utero phthalate exposure. Maternal urinary levels of phthalate metabolites did not correlate significantly with birth outcomes, physical characteristics, and reproductive hormones of the eight-year-old children. Regarding the urinary phthalate metabolite levels of the eight-year-old children, MEHP correlated significantly with serum progesterone levels. MEHP levels in girls correlated significantly with serum progesterone levels. MnBP correlated significantly with serum FSH in all children. In girls, MnBP correlated with serum FSH, and MBzP correlated with serum progesterone and FSH levels. Urinary phthalate metabolite levels did not correlate with female developmental stages or the development of female reproductive organs. Phthalate metabolites did not correlate with the physical characteristics and reproductive hormones in boys. Therefore, environmental exposure to phthalates, as determined by urinary phthalate metabolite levels of eight-year-old children, may affect reproductive hormone levels in children, indicating that further studies on the environmental health effects of phthalates are warranted.     

Heat shock protein synthesis is induced by diethyl phthalate but not by di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate in radish (Raphanus sativus)

The toxicity and effects on protein synthesis of the phthalate esters diethyl phthalate (DEP) and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) was studied in radish seedlings (Raphanus sativus cv. Kööpenhaminan tori). Phthalate esters are a class of commercially important compounds used mainly as plasticizers in high molecular-weight polymers such as many plastics. They can enter soil through various routes and can affect plant growth and development. First the effect of DEP and DEHP on the growth of radish seedlings was determined in an aqueous medium. It was found that DEP, but not DEHP, caused retardation of growth in radish. A further investigation on protein synthesis during DEP-stress was executed by in vivo protein labeling combined with two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2D-PAGE). For comparisons with known stress-induced proteins a similar experiment was done with heat shock, and the induced heat shock proteins (HSPs) were compared with those of DEP-stress. The results showed that certain HSPs can be used as an indicator of DEP-stress, although the synthesis of most HSPs was not affected by DEP. DEP also elicited the synthesis of numerous proteins found only in DEP-treated roots. The toxic effect of phthalate esters and the roles of the induced proteins are discussed.     

Improved quantitative detection of 11 urinary phthalate metabolites in humans using liquid chromatography-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization tandem mass spectrometry

Phthalates are widely used as industrial solvents and plasticizers, with global use exceeding four million tons per year. We improved our previously developed high-performance liquid chromatography-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization-tandem mass spectrometric (HPLC-APCI-MS/MS) method to measure urinary phthalate metabolites by increasing the selectivity and the sensitivity by better resolving them from the solvent front, adding three more phthalate metabolites, monomethyl phthalate (mMP), mono-(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl)phthalate (mEOHP) and mono-(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl)phthalate (mEHHP); increasing the sample throughput; and reducing the solvent usage. Furthermore, this improved method enabled us to analyze free un-conjugated mono-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (mEHP) by eliminating interferences derived from coelution of the glucuronide-bound, or conjugated form, of the mEHP on measurements of the free mEHP. This method for measuring phthalate metabolites in urine involves solid-phase extraction followed by reversed-phase HPLC-APCI-MS/MS using isotope dilution with (13)C(4) internal standards. We further evaluated the ruggedness and the reliability of the method by comparing measurements made by multiple analysts at different extraction settings on multiple instruments. We observed mMP, monoethyl phthalate (mEP), mono-n-butyl phthalate (mBP), monobenzyl phthalate (mBzP), mEHP, mEHHP and mEOHP in the majority of urine specimens analyzed with DEHP-metabolites mEHHP and mEOHP present in significantly higher amounts than mEHP.     

Gas chromatographic—mass spectrometric detection of circulating plasticizers in surgical patients

Gas chromatographic and gas chromatographic—mass specrometric analytical techniques were employed to quantitate and confirm levels of circulating organic plasticizers in critically ill surgical patients. Two plasticizers, dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), have been identified. DEHP can be found in many plastic medical devices. The DEHP levels were significant soon after transfusion or in the presence of renal dysfunction. The source of DBP is not clear at present and requires further study. The prevention of this contamination and the toxicity of these plasticizers should be investigated to ensure the safe use of plastic medical devices.     

广东省典型区域农业土壤中邻苯二甲酸酯含量的分布特征

采用气相色谱方法,对广东省典型区域农业表层土壤(0～20cm)样品中的6种邻苯二甲酸酯(PAEs)进行了测定.结果表明:6种PAEs化合物的总含量(∑PAEs)为nd(未检出)～25.99mg.kg-1,其中92.8%的样品分布在≤1mg.kg-1的范围;各种土地利用类型中∑PAEs的顺序依次为水田>香蕉地>菜地>甘蔗地>果园地;不同地区土壤中∑PAEs的顺序依次为东莞市>汕头市>佛山市顺德区>湛江市>中山市>珠海市>惠州市.邻苯二甲酸二(2-乙基已基)酯(DEHP)的检出率最高(85.1%),邻苯二甲酸二正丁酯(DnBP)含量最高(nd～17.51mg.kg-1).与美国土壤PAEs控制标准相比,除邻苯二甲酸二正辛酯(DnOP)外,其余5种PAEs化合物均有不同程度的超标,其中DnBP、邻苯二甲酸二甲酯(DMP)和邻苯二甲酸二乙酯(DEP)3种化合物超标率较高.广东省典型区域农业土壤受到不同程度的PAEs污染.     

A critical analysis of the biological impacts of plasticizers on wildlife

This review provides a critical analysis of the biological effects of the most widely used plasticizers, including dibutyl phthalate, diethylhexyl phthalate, dimethyl phthalate, butyl benzyl phthalate and bisphenol A (BPA), on wildlife, with a focus on annelids (both aquatic and terrestrial), molluscs, crustaceans, insects, fish and amphibians. Moreover, the paper provides novel data on the biological effects of some of these plasticizers in invertebrates, fish and amphibians. Phthalates and BPA have been shown to affect reproduction in all studied animal groups, to impair development in crustaceans and amphibians and to induce genetic aberrations. Molluscs, crustaceans and amphibians appear to be especially sensitive to these compounds, and biological effects are observed at environmentally relevant exposures in the low ng l⁻¹ to µg l⁻¹ range. In contrast, most effects in fish (except for disturbance in spermatogenesis) occur at higher concentrations. Most plasticizers appear to act by interfering with the functioning of various hormone systems, but some phthalates have wider pathways of disruption. Effect concentrations of plasticizers in laboratory experiments coincide with measured environmental concentrations, and thus there is a very real potential for effects of these chemicals on some wildlife populations. The most striking gaps in our current knowledge on the impacts of plasticizers on wildlife are the lack of data for long-term exposures to environmentally relevant concentrations and their ecotoxicity when part of complex mixtures. Furthermore, the hazard of plasticizers has been investigated in annelids, molluscs and arthropods only, and given the sensitivity of some invertebrates, effects assessments are warranted in other invertebrate phyla.