• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.239-243
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• 2012

Degradation of butylbenzyl phthalate (BBP) by the white rot fungus Pleurotus ostreatus and the activities of some degrading enzymes were examined in two different media containing 100 mg/l of the compound. P. ostreatus pre-grown for 7 days in complex YMG medium was able to completely degrade BBP within an additional 24 h but degraded only 35 mg/l of BBP in 5 days of incubation in minimal medium. Fungal cell mass in the culture in YMG medium was higher in the presence than in the absence of BBP. The esterase activity of the fungal culture in YMG medium was higher than that in minimal medium and increased with the addition of BBP. On the contrary, laccase activity was higher in minimal medium and it did not increase upon the addition of BBP. General peroxidase activity increased for a few days after the addition of BBP to both media. The degradation of BBP and its metabolites by P. ostreatus thus may be attributed mostly to esterase rather than lignin-degrading laccase. In addition, the activities of the enzymes involved in BBP degradation and their changes varied significantly in the different media and culture conditions.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.187-193
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• 2005

The rodent Hershberger assay is considered as a potential short term in vivo screening method for the detection of androgenic or anti-androgenic compounds. The objective of this study was to evaluate the anti-androgenic activities of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), di(n-butyl) phthalate (DBP), and butylbenzyl phthalate (BBP). A 10-day Hershberger assay was performed using immature Sprague-Dawley male rats castrated at 6 weeks of age. Tastosterone propionate (TP, 0.4 mg/kg/day) was administered s.c. to castrated male rats and followed by flutamide (1, 5, 10, or 20 mg/kg/day) treatment for 10 days by oral gavage. Similarly, DEHP, DBP, or BBP were also administered by oral gavage at 250, 500, or 1000 mg/kg/day after TP (0.4 mg/kg/day) administration. As expected, flutamide significantly inhibited the TP-induced re-growth of seminal vesicles, ventral prostate, and Levator ani plus bulbocavernosus muscles (LABC) at 1 mg/kg/day and above, and Cowper's glands and glans penis at 5 mg/kg/day and above. DEHP significantly (p<0.05) decreased the seminal vesicles, ventral prostate, LABC and Cowper's glands weights at 1000 mg/kg/day. BBP at 1000 mg/kg/day significantly inhibited TP-induced re-growth of the LABC in the immature castrated male rats, whereas ventral prostate, seminal vesicles, and Cowper's glands weights were unaffected. In contrast to DEHP, DBP did not affect accessory sex organ weights at any concentration. Body weights, combined adrenal glands, and kidney weights were not affected, but liver weights were significantly increased at high dosages in the DEHP, DBP, and BBP treatment groups. Our observations strongly suggest that DEHP acts as an androgen antagonist at the high dose (i.e., 1000 mg/kg/day).

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF PACKAGING SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.41-46
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• 2000

The level of plasticizer such as diethyl phthalate (DEP), di-n-propyl phthalate (DprP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP), di-n-pentyl phthalate (DPP), butylbenzyl phthalate (BBP), di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), dicyclohexyl phthalate (DCHP) and di-(2-ethylhexyl) adipate (DEHA) was determined in disposable sanitary gloves. Samples of disposable sanitary gloves were taken at retail shops, and their overall extractions in carbon tetrachloride were measured, after establishment of soxhlet appratus in 6 hours. All of 8 samples of disposable sanitary gloves at retail shops were polyethylene (PE). All of the manufactures was voluntarily labelled their boxes of gloves in line Korea Food Code. The level of phthalate esters and DEHA in all of 8 samples were not exceed the detection limit. The detection limits of DEP, DprP, DBP, DPP, BBP, DEHP, DCHP and DEHA were 1.8, 1.9, 1.3, 1.1, 0.9, 0.7, 2.1 and 0.8 mg/L, respectively.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.26
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• pp.8.1-8.9
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• 2011

Objectives: This study assessed the health risks for children exposed to phthalate through several pathways including house dust, surface wipes and hand wipes in child facilities and indoor playgrounds. Methods: The indoor samples were collected from various children's facilities (40 playrooms, 42 daycare centers, 44 kindergartens, and 42 indoor-playgrounds) in both summer (Jul-Sep, 2007) and winter (Jan-Feb, 2008). Hazard index (HI) was estimated for the non-carcinogens and the examined phthalates were diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), dibutyl-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP), and butylbenzyl phthalate (BBzP). The present study examined these four kinds of samples, i.e., indoor dust, surface wipes of product and hand wipes. Results: Among the phthalates, the detection rates of DEHP were 98% in dust samples, 100% in surface wipe samples, and 95% in hand wipe samples. In this study, phthalate levels obtained from floor dust, product surface and children's hand wipe samples were similar to or slightly less compared to previous studies. The $50^{th}$ and $95^{th}$ percentile value of child-sensitive materials did not exceed 1 (HI) for all subjects in all facilities. Conclusions: For DEHP, DnBP and BBzP their detection rates through multi-routes were high and their risk based on health risk assessment was also observed to be acceptable. This study suggested that ingestion and dermal exposure could be the most important pathway of phthalates besides digestion through food.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.75-82
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• 2010

This study was carried out to investigate the short term toxicity of nine phthalate diesters including di-2(ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), di(n-butyl) phthalate (DBP), di-n-octyl phthalate (DnOP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), butylbenzyl phthalate (BBP), dimethyl phthalate (DMP), di-isodecyl phthalate (DIDP), diundecyl phthalate (DUP), and di-isononyl phthalate (DINP) and five phthalate monoesters including mono- (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP), monobutyl phthalate (MBuP), monobenzyl phthalate (MBeP), monoethyl phthalate (MEP), monomethyl phthalate (MMP) and phthalic acid (PA) in Sprague-Dawley male rats. Animals were administered 250 mg/kg/day (monoesters and PA) or 500 mg/kg/day (diesters) of phthalate for two weeks. All animals were examined for body and organ weights, blood hematology, serum biochemistry, and urine analysis. The body weight gain was significantly lower in rats treated with BBP, DBP, DINP, MEHP, MBuP, and PA than that of control. Liver weights were significantly increased in the DEHP, DBP, DnOP, DIDP, and MEHP groups as compared to the control group. Testes weights were significantly decreased only in the DEHP-, DnOP-, and DIDP-treated groups as compared to the control. Significant differences in hematological changes were not observed in any treatment groups. Significant increases in blood glucose levels were observed in the DEHP, MEHP, and MBeP groups. Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels were significantly increased in the DBP, DUP, DINP, MBuP, and MBeP groups, whereas alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels were significantly increased only in the DEHP and MEHP groups. Serum ALP levels were significantly higher in phthalate diester (500 mg/kg/day)-treated rats as compared to control. However, the total cholesterol level was significantly reduced in the DEHP- and DIDP-treated groups, whereas serum triglyceride (TG) levels were higher in the DINP-, MEHP-, and MBuP-treated groups. These results suggest that short term toxicity of phthalate monoesters produces adverse effects as similar to phthalate diesters in Sprague-Dawley rats.

• Journal of environmental and Sanitary engineering
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• v.20 no.2 s.56
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• pp.39-46
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• 2005

This study was Performed to survey and evaluate the contents of Plasticizers such as DEP(diethyl phthalate), DPrP(di-n-Phthalate), DBP(di-n-butyl Phthalate), DPP(di-n-pentyl Phthalate), DCHP(dicyclohexyl phthalate), BBP (butylbenzyl phthalate), DEHP(di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate) and DEHA(di-(2-ethylheryl) adipate), which are suspected as endocrine disruptors, in food and drug PVC packaging. Tested samples were 5 food wraps, 35 food containers, 40 food and drug packages(type of tablet and capsule) in Gyeonggi-Do area. The contents of DEHA in wrap were 188.9g/kg, 203.1g/kg, 238.4g/kg, 290.9g/kg and 308.3g/kg, respectively, while the other plasticizers were not detected. DEHP was used in 4 samples of food containers and DEHP contents were 4.7g/kg, 30.7g/kg, 35.8g/kg and 53.4g/kg, respectively. In food and drug packaging materials(type of tablet and capsule), the plasticizers were not detected.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.1244-1250
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• 2000

A method for simultaneous quantitative determination of plasticizers such as diethyl phthalate(DEP), di-n-propyl phthalate(DprP), di-n-butyl phthalate(DBP), di-n-pentyl phthalate(DPP), butylbenzyl phthalate(BBP), di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate(DEHP), dicyclohexyl phthalate(DCHP) and di-(2-ethylhexyl) adipate(DEHA), which are suspected as endocrine disruptors, in food was studied. A analysis method was optimized for the quantification of plasticizers in Jjambbong, which is a kind of fatty noodle, by using GC/FID. The detection limits of DEP, DprP, DBP, DPP, BBP, DEHP, DCHP and DEHA were 3.5, 5.3, 2.2, 2.2, 7.2, 1.7, 1.9 and 3.0 mg/kg, respectively. Much higher recovery was obtained by extraction with acetone/n-hexane(1:1) rather than hexane solvent system. The recovery of DEP, DprP, DBP, DPP, BBP, DEHP, DCHP and DEHA were 72.7, 85.9, 91.4, 97.1, 100.8, 103.2, 104.3 and 95.8% after 4 time extractions, respectively. The migration of plasticizers from PVC wraps into PVC wrap covered Jjambbong was conducted after shaking(120 rpm) for 30min at room temperature with chosen solvent system. It was found that the migration level of DEHA were 577, 706, 770 mg/kg into Jjambbong, respectively, while the other plasticizers were not observed.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.178-189
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• 2012

As phthalates classified as toxic to reproduction category 2 and endocrine disrupting chemicals were more strictly regulated as Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) for authorization in under EU REACH and considered as priority substances in RoHS II, standardization of phthalate testing method is now being proposed in IEC 62321 of IEC TC 111 and the 2nd revision of KS M 1991 is also finished. In order to assist standardization activities related to phthalating testing, solvent extraction part of existing national standards were compared and verified. Recovery of DEHP (diethylhexyl phthalate) from PVC (polyvinyl chloride) by Soxhlet extraction increased in the order of methanol, toluene, dichloromethane and hexane from 46.9% to 95.3% as measured by GC-MS. Optimum extraction time was verified to be 6 hours using hexane. Recovery of DBP (dibutyl phthalate), BBP (butylbenzyl phthalate), and DEHP from different matrixes such as PVC, nitro cellulose, ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene). and EPDM(ethylene propylene diene monomer) rubber were evaluated to be more than 90% up to 99%. The detection limits of phthalates in solvent extraction followed by GC-MS analysis were 0.08~0.3 ${\mu}g/mL$ in solution and 8~30 mg/Kg in polymeric samples. GC-MS analyses of phthalates were carried out using different solvent extraction based on the EN 14372, ASTM D 7083, Japanese test method (MHLW 0906-4) and KS M 1991, proving that equivalent recoveries ranging from 98%~99% were obtained. DBP and DEHP were detected in three consumer products such as a child toy, a power cable and manicure with the amount of 22~1,910 mg/kg.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.767-772
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• 2008

Biodegradation of endocrine-disrupting phthalates [diethyl phthalate (DEP), dimethyl phthalate (DMP), butylbenzyl phthalate (BBP)] was investigated with 10 white rot fungi isolated in Korea. When the fungal mycelia were added together with 100 mg/l of phthalate into yeast extract-malt extract-glucose (YMG) medium, Pleurotus ostreatus, Irpex lacteus, Polyporus brumalis, Merulius tremellosus, Trametes versicolor, and T. versicolor MrP1 and MrP13 (transformant of the Mn-repressed peroxidase gene of T. versicolor) could remove almost all of the 3 kinds of phthalates within 12 days of incubation. When the phthalates were added to 5-day pregrown fungal cultures, most fungi except I. lacteus showed the increased removal of the phthalates compared with those of the non-pregrown cultures. In both culture conditions, p. ostreatus showed the highest degradation rates for the 3 phthalates tested. BBP was degraded with the highest rates among the 3 phthalates by all fungal strains. Only 14.9% of 100 mg/I BBP was degraded by the supernatant of P. ostreatus culture in YMG medium in 4 days of incubation, but the washed or homogenized mycelium of P. ostreatus could remove 100% of BBP within 2 days even in distilled water, indicating that the initial BBP biodegradation by P. ostreatus may be attributed to mycelium-associated enzymes rather than extracellular enzymes. The biodegradation rate of BBP by the immobilized cells of P. ostreatus was almost same as that in the suspended culture. The estrogenic activity of 100 mg/I DMP decreased during biodegradation by P. ostreatus.