• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.360-368
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• 2013

Objectives: Phthalates are used in a large variety of products including as coatings of pharmaceutical tablets, film formers, stabilizers, dispersants, emulsifying agents, and suspending agents. They have been the subject of great public concern in recent years. The extensive uses of this material have attracted attention and issues regarding its safety have been raised. Methods: In this study, three types of phthalate skin permeation were studied using matrixes such as ointments, creams and lotions in vitro. The absorption of phthalate diesters [Dimethyl phthalate (DMP), Di-n-propyl phthalate (DPP) and Di-n-pentyl phthalate (DNPP)] using film former has been measured in vitro through rat skin. Epidermal membranes were set up in Franz diffusion cells and their permeability to PBS measured in order to establish the integrity of the skin before the phthalates were applied to the epidermal surface. Results: Absorption rates for each phthalate ester were determined and permeability assessment made to quantify any irreversible alterations in barrier function due to contact with the esters. Types of phthalate in vitro experimental results quickly appeared in the following order DMP > DPP ${\geq}$ DNPP. Conclusions: In the experimental results, lotion> cream> ointment, and the permeation rate of lotion with a great amount of moisture was the fastest. Skin permeation rate is generally influenced by the chemical characteristics of a given chemical, such as molecular weight and lipophilicity. As the esters became more lipophilic and less hydrophilic, the rate of absorption decreased.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.479-485
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• 2001

A study of the levels of phthalate and adipate esters, which are suspected as endocrine disruptors, in food packaging wraps and packaged foods were carried out. Among 11 wrap samples, 8 household wraps purchased at retail markets were polyvinyl chloride(PVC) and polyethylene(PE), while 3 commercial wraps at wholesale markets were PVC. All of 51 selected food samples, such as 12 samples of vegetable, 11 samples of fruit, 6 samples of bread and rice cake, 4 samples of meat and poultry, 4 samples of fish and 14 samples of side dish, packaged with commercial PVC wraps containing adipate esters were purchased at retail markets. The level of di-(2-ethylhexyl) adipate(DEHA) and diisononyl adipate(DINA) was from 2.2 to 17.9% and from 4.2 to 22.3% in household PVC wraps, respectively. In the commercial PVC wraps, the level of DEHA showed from 18.3 to 22.5%, while other phthalate esters were not detected. The phthalate and adipate esters were not detected in PE wraps. The level of DEHA in packaged foods, such as vegetable, fruit, bread and rice cake, meat and poultry, fish and side dish, were determined up to $8.2\;{\mu}g/cm^2,\;17.4\;{\mu}g/cm^2,\;31.0{\mu}g/cm^2,\;8.3\;{\mu}g/cm^2,\;2.1\;{\mu}g/cm^2$ and $92.3\;{\mu}g/cm^2$, respectively. The results suggested that migration levels of DEHA in foods were closely related to the fat content, wrapping condition of food and stroage time and temperature.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.354-363
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• 2018

We examined the levels of brominated flame-retardants (BFRs) including polybrominateddiphenyl ethers (PBDEs), tetrabromobisphenol-A (TBBPA), hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD), and phthalates in indoor dusts in residential houses in Korea, and their distribution patterns depending on building characteristics. Mean concentrations of phthalate esters ($1,825{\mu}g\;g^{-1}$) were significantly higher than that of BFRs (PBDE: $1,332ng\;g^{-1}$, HBCDs: $459ng\;g^{-1}$, and TBBPA: $213ng\;g^{-1}$), indicating more frequent use of phthalate-containing products such as PVC flooring in the Korean houses. PVC flooring house was associated with higher concentrations of DEHP (p = 0.001) and BBP (p = 0.012), indicating that exposure to phthalate was higher in the PVC flooring house. Building age was significantly related with levels of PBDEs especially BDE-47 (p = 0.062), BDE-203 (p = 0.007), DEHP (p = 0.004), and BBP (p = 0.070), respectively, indicating that older buildings can produce higher amounts of PBDEs and phthalates. Our study can provide important information on the sources of BFRs and phthalates in residential houses in Korea.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.401-409
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• 2002

Phthalate esters have possible effects on the endocrine system. Di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) is one of the most commonly wed phthalic acid esters (PAEs). It is extensively wed as a plasticizer in elastomers, as a solvent for printing inks and resins, and as a textile lubricating agent. It is also present in the formulations of various cosmetic products. DBP has been identified as a reproductive toxicant in several animal species and also know as a endocrine disruptor. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of DBP on developmental immune Junction wing rat pups as experimental animals. Timed-bred pregnant SD rats were orally dosed with 0, 250, 500, or 750 mg DBP/kg body weight once a day from gestational day (GD) 5 to 18 and postpartum day (PD) 3 to 18. On PD22, the dams and their pups were euthanized and examined for alteration in parameters associated to immune function. The results showed no significant changes in body weight, thymus weight, thymus and spleen cellularities, the polyclonal activation respones of splenocyte with ConA and LPS, and also the distribution of arterial blood cells and thymocyto subsets in both rat dam and pups. However DBP exposure on rat dam resulted in increases of liver weights of dam and their pups except 750 mg DBP/kg, and body and spleen weights in pups except 750 mg DBP/kg. On the other hands, distribution rates of CD8+ T cells at 500 mg DBP/kg and B cells at 750 mg DBP/kg among splenocyte subsets were significantly increased in rat pups, unlike dams. Reasons of these distribution alterations of CD8+ T cells and B cells in rat pups are under study.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.280-285
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• 1975

The degradation mechanisms of naphthoquinone-1,2-diazide-5-sulfonyl esters(PGND, BEND and PVAND) of polyglyceryl phthalate (PG), bisphenol A-epichlorohydrin (BE) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) were studied by infrared absorption spectra. Absorption band due to C=N=and C=O of o-quinonediazide group decreased or disappeared after sufficient exposing to light. And also, absorption band C=O of indene carboxylic acid was increased. From the results, it may be concluded that the above photosensi tive polymers were dissociated to indene carboxylic acid soluble in aqueous alkali solution. Further, the effect of sensitizers were examined by the variation of intensity in infrared absorption spectra of sensitized and unsensitized samples.

• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.274-288
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• 2018

Quantitative data of 50 non-polar organic compounds constituting $PM_{2.5}$ were continuously collected and analyzed from June 2016 to October 2017 (approximately 17 months) at Ichihara, one of the largest industrial areas in Japan. Target non-polar organic compounds including 21 species of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), 24 species of n-alkanes and 5 species of phthalate esters(PAEs) were simultaneously measured by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Basically, the average concentrations of the total PAHs, n-alkanes and PAEs in each season remained nearly level, and seasonal variations were little throughout the study period. These results suggest that the emission sources, which are not influenced by the seasons, are the dominant inputs for the target organic compounds. Diagnostic ratios of PAHs, assessment of n-alkane homologue distributions, carbon preference index, and the contribution of wax n-alkanes from plants were used to estimate source apportionments. These results indicate that anthropogenic sources were the main contributor for most PAHs and n-alkanes throughout the study period. The concentrations of PAEs selected in this study were low because emission amounts of these chemicals were little within the source areas of the sampling site. To our knowledge, this study is the first attempt to simultaneously measure a high number of non-polar organic compounds in $PM_{2.5}$ collected from the ambient air of Japan, and the resultant data will provide valuable data and information for environmental researchers.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.33 no.1 s.129
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• pp.48-57
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• 2005

Phthalate esters are known as plasticizers and some of them suspected as endocrine disrupting chemicals. In this study, in order to identify the mechanism of phthalate esters degradation by white rot fungus, phthalic acid, which is major metabolite in the biodegradation of phthalate esters, was used. Phthalic acid 50 ppm was treated in culture medium with Polyporus brumalis. The availability of ABTS oxidation was different from control and phthalic acid treated group after 4 days of incubation. The activity was gradually increased in control group, but not in phthalic acid treated group. Especially, esterase activity of control group was maximized at 10 days of incubation, and then decreased while the activity of phthalic acid treated group was increased. Glucose was used as a carbon source, and the difference of glucose consumption by control and phthalic acid treated group was not significant. However, after 6 days of incubation the residual glucose in culture medium was rapidly decreased. The consumption rate of phthalic acid treated group was lower than control. These results might indicate that the absorption of phthalic acid in culture medium was occurred by mycelium and metabolized through some pathways as that of glucose was. To clearify the chemical modification of phthalic acid in culture medium, phthalic acid was reacted under in vitro condition which mycelium was excluded. The metabolites were analyzed by GC/MS. The results showed that phthalic acid was converted to phthalic acid anhydride by the extracellular enzymes of P. brumalis.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.22
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• pp.47-53
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• 2004

Among the phthalic esters, di-butyl phthalate (DBP) and di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), which are categorized endocrine disrupting chemicals, account toy up to 80％ of the world production. Nine phthalic esters were quantitatively determined in water and in sediment samples from Gawngyang Bay and Seomjin River estuary. This might be the first report in contamination of phthalates in the marine environment of Korea. DBP and DEHP were detected with the high concentration and high frequency, while the other phthnlic compounds were below the detection limits. The aveyage concentyations of DBP and DEBP in sediment from Gawngyang Bay were 33.8 ng g$\^$-1/ and 67.4 ng g$\^$-1/ on a dry weight basis, respectively. The concentrations in surface watey from Seomjin River estuary were in the range of 62.7∼333.8 ng L$\^$-1/ for DBP and 25.6 ng L$\^$-/∼116.1 ng L$\^$-1/ for DBHP. In sediments from Seomjin River estuary, DBP ranged 9.1∼149.3 ng g$\^$-1/, and DEHP 46.3∼156.3 ng g$\^$-1/. Phthalic esters concentrations found in Seomjin River estuary were much less than those in other rivers in Korea. Distribution pattern of DBP and DEHP concentrations in Seonliin River estuary indicates that both compounds aye introduced to Gwangyang Bay through run-off.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.71-78
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• 2020

Endometriosis is a common gynecologic disease, worldwide, whose true prevalence is uncertain because it is a difficult disease to diagnose. Endometriosis is a common cause of chronic pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea, and infertility, and is also associated with ovarian cancer. Although the risk factors for endometriosis are unclear, there is increasing evidence that exposure to environmental contaminants, especially phthalates, could affect the pathogenesis of endometriosis. Phthalates are industrial chemicals, used to make flexible plastics, and are present in numerous common plastic products, including medical devices and materials. Several in vitro studies have suggested a positive association between exposure to phthalate, or phthalate metabolites, and the risk of endometriosis. Since the 2000s, studies based on human plasma and urinary concentrations of various phthalate metabolites have been published, but there are still limitations to our understanding of the pathophysiology of phthalates and endometriosis. This report aims to review the current state of knowledge about a possible role of phthalates in the pathogenesis of endometriosis based on cell culture, animal models, and human data.

• Proceedings of the Korean Environmental Sciences Society Conference
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• 2008.11a
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• pp.248-251
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• 2008

일반적으로 phthalate esters의 전처리방법에는 액액추출법(liquid-liquid extraction), 고상추출법(Solid-phase Extraction, SPE), 고상미세추출법(Solid-phase micro extraction, SPME) 등의 분석방법이 있다. 그 중에서 본 연구에서는 SPE를 이용하여 간편하고 정확성이 높으며, 적은 양의 유기용제를 사용하여 전처리함으로써 2차적인 환경오염을 줄일 수 있다는 점에서 다른 전처리 방법보다 유용하다고 할 수 있다. 검출감도 측면에서 phthalate esters의 경우는 구조적으로 안정적인 편이나 페놀류의 경우 hydroxy group 때문에 GC/MS 분석시 유도체화 과정이 필수적인데 이번 연구에서 사용한 BSTFA/TMCS는 비교적 쉽고 빠르게 유도체 화할 수 있다는 이점이 있다. 더 많은 연구가 필요하겠지만 앞서서의 결과에서도 알 수 있듯이 전반적으로 검출한계가 0.05$\sim$0.5 $\mu$g/L 정도로 높고, 4-nonyl phenol을 제외하고 80% 이상의 양호한 회수율을 나타낸 것으로 미루어 보아 phthalate esters, phenols의 효율적인 동시분석이 가능함을 알 수 있다.