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Review
. 2023 Dec 23;29(1):106.
doi: 10.3390/molecules29010106.

Unpacking Phthalates from Obscurity in the Environment

Marzieh Baneshi  1 , Jamey Tonney-Gagne  1 , Fatima Halilu  1 , Kavya Pilavangan  1 , Ben Sabu Abraham  1   2 , Ava Prosser  1 , Nikaran Kanchanadevi Marimuthu  1   3 , Rajendran Kaliaperumal  1 , Allen J Britten  1 , Martin Mkandawire  1
Affiliations
Review

Unpacking Phthalates from Obscurity in the Environment

Marzieh Baneshi et al. Molecules. .

Abstract

Phthalates (PAEs) are a group of synthetic esters of phthalic acid compounds mostly used as plasticizers in plastic materials but are widely applied in most industries and products. As plasticizers in plastic materials, they are not chemically bound to the polymeric matrix and easily leach out. Logically, PAEs should be prevalent in the environment, but their prevalence, transport, fate, and effects have been largely unknown until recently. This has been attributed, inter alia, to a lack of standardized analytical procedures for identifying them in complex matrices. Nevertheless, current advancements in analytical techniques facilitate the understanding of PAEs in the environment. It is now known that they can potentially impact ecological and human health adversely, leading to their categorization as endocrine-disrupting chemicals, carcinogenic, and liver- and kidney-failure-causing agents, which has landed them among contaminants of emerging concern (CECs). Thus, this review article reports and discusses the developments and advancements in PAEs' standard analytical methods, facilitating their emergence from obscurity. It further explores the opportunities, challenges, and limits of their advancements.

Keywords: detection; environmental contamination; extraction; phthalates.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest. They don’t have any competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Factors contributing to PAEs’ detection uncertainty.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Synthesis of PAEs using base- or metal compound-based catalysis [18].
Figure 3
Figure 3
Sources and fates of PAEs in the environment.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Metabolic pathway of PAEs [23].
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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