Phthalates are in the Air

A new study by Aalekhya Reddam, an ETOX alumna now at CalEPA, her Ph.D. advisor David Volz, Professor of Environmental Sciences and ETOX faculty member, and their collaborators has shown high exposures to plastic-derived phthalates in the air of students commuting in Southern California.  The students wore silicone wristbands that captured chemicals found in the air around them.  Particularly high levels of three phthalates, DiNP, DEHP, and DEHT were detected.  Two of these, DiNP and DEHP, are on California’s Proposition 65 list of chemicals known to cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm. Their study, published this month in Environmental Research, has recently been highlighted in UC Riverside News and LAist. NIEHS spotlighted the study in its Environental Factor as an extramural paper of the month.  Our congratulations to Aali, Dave and their colleagues for this important paper and recognition. [The graphic above is from their Environmental Research paper.]