Environmental Health Perspectives Volume 105, Number 9, September 1997

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Residential Exposure to Plasticizers and Its Possible Role in the Pathogenesis of Asthma

Leif Øie, ¹ Lars-Georg Hersoug, ² and Jørgen Øgaard Madsen ³

¹ National Institute of Public Health, Department of Population Health Sciences, Oslo, Norway
² Scandinavian Biomedical Institute AS, Hørsholm, Denmark
³ The Technical University of Denmark, Department of Organic Chemistry, Lyngby, Denmark

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Abstract
The plasticizer di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is widely used in building materials. DEHP is identified as the major plasticizer exposure in dwellings. We provide evidence that inhalation exposure to DEHP as aerosols adsorbed to particulate matter is as important, or more important, than vapor phase exposure. The particulate inhalation exposure to DEHP is considered to be significant due to its low clearance and extensive penetration into the pulmonary region. DEHP is capable of creating high local concentrations in the airways at the deposition site with subsequent local effects. The proposed mechanism of effect states that mono(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP), the primary hydrolysis product of DEHP, mimics the inducing prostaglandins (PG) PGD ₂ , 9 ,11ßPGF ₂ , and PGF ₂ , and thromboxanes in the lungs, thereby increasing the risk of inducing inflammation in the airways, which is a characteristic of asthma. Key words : asthma, di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, mono(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, plasticizer, polyvinyl chloride, prostaglandin, PVC, thromboxane A ₂ receptor. Environ Health Perspect 105:972-978 (1997)

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Address correspondence to L. Øie, National Institute of Public Health, Department of Population Health Sciences, Section of Epidemiology, Postboks 4404 Torshov, N-0403 Oslo, Norway.

We are indebted to Henning I. Mørck for critical and constructive comments. We thank Per Magnus, Grete Botten, Sten Olaf Hanssen, and Per Nafstad for helpful discussions and comments. This study was supported by The Norwegian Research Council grants BA29327 and BA29295, Techno Consult A/S, and the Scandinavian Biomedical Institute A/S.

Received 25 February 1997; accepted 27 May 1997.

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Last Update: September 22, 1997