PHTHALATES TOXICITY

Course overview

PHTHALATES ARE A GROUP OF PLASTICIZING AGENTS USED INDUSTRIALLY TO IMPART DURABILITY AND FLEXIBILITY TO PLASTIC PRODUCTS. DEPENDING ON THEIR DESIGNATED INDUSTRIAL USE, THEY ARE DIVIDED INTO LOW AND HIGH MOLECULAR WEIGHT CATEGORIES. THE TOXICITY OF PHTHALATES HAS GAINED INCREASING ATTENTION AS STUDIES HAVE BEGUN TO SHOW DELETERIOUS ENDOCRINE AND METABOLIC SIDE EFFECTS ASSOCIATED WITH VARIOUS SUBCATEGORIES OF PHTHALATES. THIS HAS LED TO REGULATORY ACTION, BANNING DIFFERENT PHTHALATES THAT HAVE BEEN SHOWN TO CAUSE HARM. THIS ACTIVITY WILL HIGHLIGHT THE CURRENT LITERATURE REGARDING THE INDUSTRIAL USES OF PHTHALATES, CURRENT REGULATION REGARDING THEIR PRODUCTION, ISSUES OF CONCERN RELATED TO HUMANS AND THE ENVIRONMENT, AND KNOWN CLINICAL ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN PATHOLOGY AND PHTHALATE TOXICITY.