Phthalate concentrations in house dust in relation to autism spectrum disorder and developmental delay in the CHildhood Autism Risks from Genetics and the Environment (CHARGE) study

Abstract

BackgroundPhthalates are endocrine-disrupting chemicals that influence thyroid hormones and sex steroids, both critical for brain development.AimWe studied phthalate concentrations in house dust in relation to the risks of developing autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or developmental delay (DD).MethodsParticipants were a subset of children from the CHARGE (CHildhood Autism Risks from Genetics and the Environment) case–control study. ASD and DD cases were identified through the California Department of Developmental Services system or referrals; general population controls were randomly sampled from state birth files and frequency-matched on age, sex, and broad geographic region to ASD cases. All children (50 ASD, 27 DD, 68 typically developing (TD)) were assessed with Mullen Scales of Early Learning, Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (VABS) and Aberrant Behavior Checklist. We measured 5 phthalates in dust collected in the child’s home using a high volume small surface sampler.ResultsNone of the phthalates measured in dust was associated with ASD. After adjustment, we observed greater di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and butylbenzyl phthalate (BBzP) concentrations in indoor dust from homes of DD children: Odds ratios (OR) were 2.10 (95 % confidence interval (CI); 1.10; 4.09) and 1.40 (95 % CI; 0.97; 2.04) for a one-unit increase in the ln-transformed DEHP and BBzP concentrations, respectively. Among TD children, VABS communication, daily living, and adaptive composite standard scores were lower, in association with increased diethyl phthalate (DEP) concentrations in dust. Participants with higher dibutyl phthalate (DBP) concentrations in house dust also trended toward reduced performance on these subscales. Among ASD and DD boys, higher indoor dust concentrations of DEP and DBP were associated with greater hyperactivity-impulsivity and inattention.Discussion and conclusionHouse dust levels of phthalates were not associated with ASD. The inability to distinguish past from recent exposures in house dust and the fact that house dust does not capture exposure from all sources, limit the interpretation of both positive and null findings and further work is needed. However, the associations observed for DEP and DBP with impairments in several adaptive functions and greater hyperactivity, along with evidence for increased risk of DD raise concerns that these chemicals may affect neurodevelopment in children.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12940-015-0024-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

PVC flooring at home and uptake of phthalates in pregnant women

“…Bi et al observed in the test house that the concentration of BBzP in dust deposited on the floor was about 20‐30 times higher in comparison with non‐floor dust, with little differences observed for DEHP. Similar experimental findings were found by Sukiene et al Other studies have shown that the concentrations of defined phthalates in indoor dust (BBzP and DEHP) were significantly higher in homes with PVC flooring when compared with other flooring materials …”

Autism genes are selectively targeted by environmental pollutants including pesticides, heavy metals, bisphenol A, phthalates and many others in food, cosmetics or household products

“…Among autism and development delay boys, higher indoor dust concentrations of were associated with greater hyperactivityimpulsivity and inattention [104].…”

Phthalate esters in soil, plastic film, and vegetable from greenhouse vegetable production bases in Beijing, China: Concentrations, sources, and risk assessment

“…It has been reported that the residues of PAEs were detected in various environmental matrices, such as air (Teil et al, 2006;Tran and Kannan, 2015), soil (Net et al, 2015;Niu et al, 2014), water and sediment (Peijnenburg and Struijs, 2006;Selvaraj et al, 2015). Researchers have indicated that some PAEs have endocrine disruptive effects in animals and humans (Main et al, 2006;Philippat et al, 2015;Zota et al, 2014). Therefore, the environmental behavior and potential human health risks of PAEs have attracted considerable attention.…”