Di(2‐ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP)
Assessment Values in Biological Material – Translation of the German version from 2018
Albert W. Rettenmeier1Hans Drexler2
Andrea Hartwig3
MAK Commission4
1 Institute for Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology (IMIBE), University Hospital Essen, Hufelandstraße 55, 45122 Essen, Germany
2 Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Institute and Outpatient Clinic of Occupational, Social, and Environmental Medicine, Henkestraße 9–11, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
3 Institute of Applied Biosciences, Department of Food Chemistry and Toxicology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Adenauerring 20a, Building 50.41, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
4 Permanent Senate Commission for the Investigation of Health Hazards of Chemical Compounds in the Work Area, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Kennedyallee 40, 53175 Bonn, Germany
Abstract
The German Commission for the Investigation of Health Hazards of Chemical Compounds in the Work Area evaluated di(2‐ethylhexyl) phthalate [CAS No. 118‐81‐7] in 2017 and derived a biological guidance value at the workplace (BLW) for the combined urinary concentration of the four major DEHP metabolites mono(2‐ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP), mono(2‐ethyl‐5‐hydroxyhexyl) phthalate (5‐OH‐MEHP), mono(2‐ethyl‐5‐oxohexyl) phthalate (5‐oxo‐MEHP) and mono(2‐ethyl‐5‐carboxypentyl) phthalate (5‐cx‐MEPP). Available publications are described in detail.
Human studies are not available for deriving a quantitative relationship between the internal dose and the critical toxic effects of DEHP (tumour promotion in the liver, respiratory effects, reproductive and developmental toxicity). Therefore, the evaluation of the BLW was based on the relationship between DEHP uptake by inhalation at the level of the MAK value and the urinary excretion rates of MEHP, 5‐OH‐MEHP, 5‐oxo‐MEHP and 5‐cx‐MEPP, using a conversion factor that defines this relationship. In accordance with this conversion factor external exposure to DEHP at the level of the MAK value corresponds to a combined urinary concentration of the four metabolites of approx. 4 mg/g creatinine at steady state. As the conversion factor has been derived from oral DEHP uptake and metabolite excretion data of only one male volunteer, the concentration of 4 mg/g creatinine is considered a BLW. Sampling time is for long‐term exposure at the end of the shift after several shifts.
