Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 21, 2026

Collection of Alfalfa Root Exudates to Study the Impact of Di2-ethylhexyl Phthalate on Metabolite Production
Published on: June 2, 2023
Phthalates and critically ill neonates: device-related exposures and non-endocrine toxic risks
1Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Risk Sciences and Public Policy Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Objective:
To assess the types and magnitudes of non-endocrine toxic risks to neonates associated with medical device-related exposures to di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP).
Study Design:
Dose-response thresholds for DEHP toxicities were determined from published data, as were the magnitudes of DEHP exposures resulting from neonatal contact with polyvinyl chloride (PVC) devices. Standard methods of risk assessment were used to determine safe levels of DEHP exposure in neonates, and hazard quotients were calculated for devices individually and in aggregate.
Result:
Daily intake of DEHP for critically ill preterm infants can reach 16 mg/kg per day, which is on the order of 4000 and 160,000 times higher than desired to avoid reproductive and hepatic toxicities, respectively. The non-endocrine toxicities of DEHP are similar to complications experienced by preterm neonates.
Conclusion:
DEHP exposures in neonatal intensive care are much higher than estimated safe limits, and might contribute to common early and chronic complications of prematurity. Concerns about phthalates should be expanded beyond endocrine disruption.
Related Concept Videos
Types of Toxins
Air pollutants, primarily gases, pose significant threats to respiratory health, leading to conditions like hypoxia, lung cancer, and in extreme cases, death.
Environmental pollutants like...
Toxicity Testing in Animals
Teratogenicity
Toxic Reactions: Overview
Toxicity falls into two primary categories: local and systemic.
Local toxicity appears at the exposure site, such as protein denaturation caused by caustic substances.
In contrast, systemic toxicity requires the toxic agent's absorption and distribution,...
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Distribution
Pharmaceutical Poisoning: Potential Scenarios

