Biomonitoring Summary

Phthalates Overview

Benzylbutyl Phthalate

CAS No. 85-68-7

General Information

Benzylbutyl phthalate (BzBP) is a solvent and additive used in products such as adhesives, vinyl tile, sealants, car care products, and to a lesser extent, some personal care products. BzBP can be released into the environment during its production and, because it is not bound to products in which it is incorporated, it can be released into the ambient air during use or disposal of the products. Food crops take up BzBP, and diet is the major source for general population exposure. People exposed to BzBP will excrete mono-benzyl phthalate (MBzP) and small amounts of mono-n-butyl phthalate in their urine. High dose BzBP and its monoester metabolites, including MBzP, can produce developmental and reproductive toxicity in rodents, particularly male animals (McKee et al., 2004; NTP-CERHR, 2003a). IARC considers BzBP not classifiable with respect to human carcinogenicity.

Biomonitoring Information

The median levels of MBzP in NHANES subsamples from 1999-2000, 2001-2002, and 2003-2004 were generally similar those reportedin U.S. residents (Blount et al., 2000), in a small sample of pregnant women in New York City (Adibi et al., 2003), in men attending a Boston infertility clinic (Duty et al., 2004; Hauser et al., 2007), in young Swedish men (Jonsson et al., 2005), and in a small sample of German residents (Koch et al., 2003). In an annual sample of German university students, median urine levels of MBzP were about one half the median levels in NHANES subsamples from 1999-2002 (Wittassek et al., 2007). A small study of African-American women in Washington, DC reported median urinary MBzP levels that were about twice the levels of adults and females reported in NHANES 1999-2002 (CDC, 2012; Hoppin et al., 2002). Limited studies in children younger than 2 years old have found median and geometric mean urine MBzP that were similar to children aged 6-11 years in the NHANES subsamples (Brock et al., 2002; Weu
ve et al., 2006). In NHANES 1999-2000, the adjusted geometric mean levels of urinary MBzP were significantly higher in several subgroups: children compared to adolescents and adults; adolescents compared with adults; and females compared to males (Silva et al., 2004).

Finding a measurable amount of MBzP in the urine does not imply that the levels of MBzP or the parent compound cause an adverse health effect. Biomonitoring studies on levels of urinary MBzP provide physicians and public health officials with reference values so that they can determine whether people have been exposed to higher levels of BzBP than are found in the general population. Biomonitoring data can also help scientists plan and conduct research on exposure and health effects.

References

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Page last reviewed: April 7, 2017