Teratogenicity of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) in mice

Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) were mixed with diet at graded levels of 0.05, 0.1, 0.2. 0.4 and 1.0 wt-% and given to pregnant ICR mice throughout gestation. Maternal weight gain was suppressed and fetal resorption increased at 0.2, 0.4 and 1.0% levels of DEHP and 1.0% level of DBP. All the implanted ova died early in rats fed 0.4 and 1.0% levels of DEHP. External malformations increased significantly by 0.2% DEHP, and 1.0% DBP showed borderline significance. The major malformations in treated groups were neural tube defects (exencephaly and myeloschisis), suggesting that the phthalic acid esters (PAEs) affect neural tube closure in developing embryos. Treatment with the compounds caused intrauterine growth retardation and delayed ossification with an apparently dose-related response pattern. These results indicate that a high dose of DEHP and DBP might be embryotoxic and teratogenic in mice. The maximum nonembryotoxic doses of PAEs in mice were more than 2000 times the estimated level of human intake through the food chain. Thus it is assumed that the current "normal" exposure level of PAEs dose not pose an imminent threat to human fetal development.