BACKGROUND Lab studies have suggested that ubiquitous phthalate exposures are related to obesity, but relevant epidemiological studies are scarce, especially for children. OBJECTIVE To investigate the association of phthalate exposures with body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) in Chinese school children. METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted in three primary and three ...

OBJECTIVE Phthalates are ubiquitous industrial high-volume chemicals known as ligands to peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs). Because PPAR-γ agonists modulate insulin sensitivity and are used to treat type 2 diabetes, we investigated whether circulating levels of phthalate metabolites are related to prevalent type 2 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS A total of 1,016 subjec...

Phthalates are a class of plasticizing chemicals produced in high volume and widely found in consumer products. Evidence suggests that phthalates may have non-monotonic effects on reproductive hormone activity. With exposure to phthalates virtually ubiquitous among industrialized populations, identifying unexposed and/or minimally exposed human populations is essential for understanding the eff...

Phthalate esters, widely used as plasticizers in the manufacture of products made of polyvinyl chloride, induce reproductive and developmental toxicities in rodents. The mechanism that underlies these effects of phthalate exposure, including the potential role of members of the nuclear receptor superfamily, is not known. The present study investigates the effects of phthalates on the pregnane X...

There is increasing concern about chemical pollutants that have the ability to mimic hormones, the so-called endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs). One of the main reasons for concern is the possible effect of EDCs on human health. EDCs may be released into the environment in different ways, and one of the most significant sources is industrial wastewater. The main objective of this research wa...

Global phthalate ester production has increased from very low levels at the end of World War II to approximately 3.5 million metric tons/year. The aim of the present study was to investigate potential associations between persistent allergic symptoms in children, which have increased markedly in developed countries over the past three decades, and the concentration of phthalates in dust collect...

This study investigated the composition of PVC flooring with respect to certain chemical additives, namely phthalate plasticisers and organotins. The study included analysis of five PVC flooring samples that were available for retail in the UK. Samples were found to contain high levels of several organotin compounds, in particular DBT (37.7 to 569 ppm) and TBT (128 to 17,940 ppb). Two phthalate...

The rat has been explored in detail for its in utero susceptibility to male reproductive tract malformation following phthalate exposure. Few other species have been studied in detail, and it is important for both mechanistic and risk assessment purposes to understand the species specificity of this response. We investigated the response of the fetal mouse testis to phthalate exposure and compa...

Phthalate esters are widely used as plasticizers in the manufacture of products made of polyvinyl chloride. Mono-(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (MEHP) induces rodent hepatocarcinogenesis by a mechanism that involves activation of the nuclear transcription factor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha (PPAR ). MEHP also activates PPAR-gamma (PPAR ), which contributes to adipocyte differentiat...

Phthalate esters (PEs) are important environmental pollutants. While the biodegradation of the parent compound, phthalate (PTH), is well characterized, the biodegradation of PEs is not well understood. In particular, prior to this study, genes involved in the uptake and hydrolysis of these compounds were not conclusively identified. We found that Rhodococcus jostii RHA1 could grow on a variety ...