About Phthalates

Please refer to the Wikipedia.

Properties

Phthalate esters are the dialkyl or alkyl aryl esters of 1,2-benzenedicarboxylic acid; the name phthalate derives from phthalic acid.

Phthalates are also frequently used in nail polish, fishing lures, adhesives, caulk, paint pigments, and sex toys made of so-called "jelly rubber." Some vendors of jelly rubber sex toys advise covering them in condoms when used internally, due to the possible health risks. Other vendors do not carry jelly rubber sex toys, in favor of phthalate-free varieties.[1] The Dutch office of Greenpeace UK sought to encourage the European Union to ban sex toys that contained phthalates.[2]

Controversially, phthalates are still being used in modern pop-culture electronics. Notable recent examples include Apple Inc.'s iPhone and iPod, and personal computers. The company has been criticized by environmental supporters claiming that tests on a commercially purchased iPhone returned "toxic" levels of the chemical, prompting public declarations for change due to its associated hazards.[3].

Health effects

Phthalates are controversial because high doses of many phthalates have shown hormonal activity in rodent studies. Studies on rodents involving large amounts of phthalates have shown damage to the liver, the kidneys, the lungs, and the developing testes.[citations needed] In addition, a recent British study showed that the phthalate di(n-butyl) phthalate (DBP) or its metabolite monobutyl phthalate (MBP) suppresses steroidogenesis by fetal-type Leydig cells in primates as in rodents.[4]

Properties
Phthalate esters are the dialkyl or alkyl aryl esters of 1,2-benzenedicarboxylic acid; the name phthalate derives from phthalic acid. When added to plastics, phthalates allow the long polyvinyl molecules to slide against one another. The phthalates show low water solubility, high oil solubility, and low volatility. The polar carboxyl group contributes little to the physical properties of the phthalates, except when R and R' are very small (such as ethyl or methyl groups). They are colorless, odorless liquids produced by reacting phthalic anhydride with an appropriate alcohol (usually 6 to 13 carbon).

Phthalates are also frequently used in nail polish, fishing lures, adhesives, caulk, paint pigments, and sex toys made of so-called "jelly rubber." Some vendors of jelly rubber sex toys advise covering them in condoms when used internally, due to the possible health risks. Other vendors do not carry jelly rubber sex toys, in favor of phthalate-free varieties.[1] The Dutch office of Greenpeace UK sought to encourage the European Union to ban sex toys that contained phthalates.[2

Table of more common phthalates
Name Acronym Structural formula CAS No.
Dimethyl phthalate DMP C6H4(COOCH3)2 131-11-3
Diethyl phthalate DEP C6H4(COOC2H5)2 84-66-2
Diallyl phthalate DAP C6H4(COOCH2CH=CH2)2 131-17-9
Di-n-propyl phthalate DPP C6H4[COO(CH2)2CH3]2 131-16-8
Di-n-butyl phthalate DBP C6H4[COO(CH2)3CH3]2 84-74-2
Diisobutyl phthalate DIBP C6H4[COOCH2CH(CH3)2]2 84-69-5
Butyl cyclohexyl phthalate BCP CH3(CH2)3OOCC6H4COOC6H11 84-64-0
Di-n-pentyl phthalate DNPP C6H4[COO(CH2)4CH3]2 131-18-0
Dicyclohexyl phthalate DCP C6H4[COOC6H11]2 84-61-7
Butyl benzyl phthalate BBP CH3(CH2)3OOCC6H4COOCH2C6H5 85-68-7
Di-n-hexyl phthalate DNHP C6H4[COO(CH2)5CH3]2 84-75-3
Diisohexyl phthalate DIHxP C6H4[COO(CH2)3CH(CH3)2]2 146-50-9
Diisoheptyl phthalate DIHpP C6H4[COO(CH2)4CH(CH3)2]2 41451-28-9
Butyl decyl phthalate BDP CH3(CH2)3OOCC6H4COO(CH2)9CH3 89-19-0


Phthalates are a family of compounds made from alcohols and phthalic anhydride. They are oily, colorless, odorless liquids that do not evaporate readily.

Used primarily in vinyl, they are an important part of our everyday lives.
Most phthalates are used to make vinyl soft and flexible. From their use in medical devices to toys to cars to homes, flexible vinyl products help make our lives better and safer. And in hospitals and emergency rooms, they help save lives. They make our homes more decorative, easier to clean, more energy efficient and durable. Flexible vinyl products are high-performing and cost effective; their performance is difficult or impossible to match with competitive substitutes. They save money for consumers.

Some phthalates deliver unique benefits to the personal care products industry.
For more than fifty years, they have been a key ingredient in fragrances and in nail polish. One kind of phthalate fixes the fragrance in perfumes and other products to make it last longer. Another type is used in nail polish (as well as in tool handles and outdoor signs) to help prevent chipping and breaking.

Many independent reviews have declared them to be safe as used in toys and cosmetics.
Safety reviews by European and American scientific panels have specifically cleared phthalates for use in toys and in nail polish. The different reviews use phrases such as “safe as used,” or “no concern,” or “no demonstrated health risk.” No governmental review has found any phthalate unsafe as used in products for the general public.