Bis (2-Ethylhexyl) Phthalate (DEHP) : Hazard Summary
Bis (2-Ethylhexyl) Phthalate (DEHP) : Hazard Summary
Bis (2-Ethylhexyl) Phthalate (DEHP) : Hazard Summary
117-81-7
Hazard Summary
Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is used in the production of polyvinyl chloride (PVC). It exhibits low
toxicity from acute (short-term) and chronic (long-term) exposures. Acute exposure to large oral doses of
DEHP can cause gastrointestinal distress in humans. No information is available on the chronic,
reproductive, developmental, or carcinogenic effects of DEHP in humans. Animal studies have reported
increased lung weights and increased liver weights from chronic inhalation exposure to DEHP. Oral
exposure has resulted in developmental and reproductive effects in rats and mice. A study by the National
Toxicology Program (NTP) showed that DEHP administered orally increased the incidence of liver tumors in
rats and mice. EPA has classified DEHP as a Group B2, probable human carcinogen
Please Note: The main sources of information for this fact sheet are EPA's Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) (3),
which contains information on oral chronic toxicity and the Reference Dose (RfD), and the carcinogenic effects of DEHP
including the unit cancer risk for oral exposure, and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry's
(ATSDR's)Toxicological Profile for Bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate. (1)
Uses
The major use of DEHP is in the production of PVC and vinyl chloride resins, where it is added to plastics to
make them flexible. (1)
No information is available on the acute effects of DEHP in humans via inhalation exposure. (1)
No information is available on the acute effects of DEHP in humans via inhalation exposure. (1)
Acute exposure to large oral doses of DEHP (5 to 10 grams) can cause gastrointestinal distress in humans.
(1)
Animal studies have noted effects on the liver and kidney and adverse effects on weight gain and food
consumption from oral exposure to DEHP. (1)
Acute animal tests in rats have shown DEHP to have low acute toxicity from oral exposure. (2)
Reproductive/Developmental Effects:
No information is available on the reproductive or developmental effects of DEHP in humans. (1)
No reproductive or developmental effects were observed in animal studies from inhalation exposure to
DEHP. (1)
DEHP has been demonstrated to cause developmental toxicity, such as birth defects, in rats and mice from
oral exposure. Reproductive effects, such as decreased fertility, proportion of pups born alive, and
testicular weights and tubular atrophy, have also been noted from oral exposure to DEHP in animals. (1)
Cancer Risk:
No information is available on the carcinogenic effects of DEHP in humans. (1)
In the only available animal inhalation cancer study, lifetime exposure of hamsters to a very low dose of
DEHP did not result in any significant increase in the incidence of tumors. However, because this is a very
low dose, it is not possible to reach a conclusion as to whether or not higher concentrations might produce
different results. (1)
A study by the NTP showed that DEHP administered in the diet increased the incidence of liver tumors in
rats and mice. (6)
EPA has classified DEHP as a Group B2, probable human carcinogen. (3)
EPA uses mathematical models, based on animal studies to estimate the probability of a person developing
cancer from ingesting water containing a specified concentration of a chemical. EPA calculated an oral
-1 -7 -1
cancer slope factor of 0.014 (mg/kg/d) and an oral unit risk estimate of 4.0 × 10 (µg/L) . EPA
estimates that, if an individual were to continuously ingest water containing DEHP at an average of 3 µg/L
(0.003 mg/L) over his or her entire lifetime, that person would theoretically have no more than a one-in-a-
million increased chance of developing cancer as a direct result of ingesting water containing this chemical.
million increased chance of developing cancer as a direct result of ingesting water containing this chemical.
Similarly, EPA estimates that ingesting water containing 30 µg/L (0.03 mg/L) would result in not greater
than a one-in-a-hundred thousand increased chance of developing cancer, and water containing 300 µg/L
(0.3 mg/L) would result in not greater than a one-in-ten thousand increased chance of developing cancer.
For a detailed discussion of confidence in the potency factors, please see IRIS. (3)
Physical Properties
Bis(2-ethylhexyl phthalate is also called di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate or DEHP . (1)
DEHP is a colorless liquid with almost no odor. (1)
The chemical formula for DEHP is C H O , and the molecular weight is 390.57 g/mol. (1)
24 38-8 4
The vapor pressure for DEHP is 6.2 × 10 mm Hg at 25 °C, and it has a log octanol/water partition
coefficient (log K ) of 4.2-5.11. (1)
ow
3 3
To convert concentrations in air (at 25 °C) from ppm to mg/m : mg/m = (ppm) × (molecular weight of the
3
compound)/(24.45). For DEHP: 1 ppm = 15.9 mg/m .
ACGIH TLV --American Conference of Governmental and Industrial Hygienists' threshold limit value expressed as a
ACGIH TLV --American Conference of Governmental and Industrial Hygienists' threshold limit value expressed as a
time-weighted average; the concentration of a substance to which most workers can be exposed without adverse
effect.
NIOSH IDLH --National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health immediately dangerous to life and health; NIOSH
concentration representing the maximum level of a pollutant from which an individual could escape within 30
minutes without escape-impairing symptoms or irreversible health effects.
NIOSH REL --NIOSH's recommended exposure limit; NIOSH-recommended exposure limit for an 8- or 10-h time-
weighted-average exposure and/or ceiling.
NIOSH STEL --NIOSH's recommended short-term exposure limit; a 15-minute TWA exposure which should not be
exceeded at any time during a workday.
OSHA PEL --Occupational Safety and Health Administration's permissible exposure limit expressed as a time-
weighted average; the concentration of a substance to which most workers can be exposed without adverse effect
averaged over a normal 8-h workday or a 40-h workweek.
The health and regulatory values cited in this factsheet were obtained in December 1999.
a
Health numbers are toxicological numbers from animal testing or risk assessment values developed by EPA.
b
Regulatory numbers are values that have been incorporated in Government regulations, while advisory numbers
are nonregulatory values provided by the Government or other groups as advice. OSHA numbers are regulatory,
whereas NIOSH and ACGIH numbers are advisory.
c
The NOAEL and LOAEL are from the critical study used as the basis for CalEPA's chronic reference exposure level.
Referen ces
1. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). Toxicological Profile for Di(2-
ethylhexyl)phthalate. Public Health Service, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Atlanta, GA.
1993.
2. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances (RTECS,
online database). National Toxicology Information Program, National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD.
1993.
3. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) on Di(2-
ethylhexyl)phthalate. National Center for Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development,
Washington, DC. 1999.
4. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB, online database).
National Toxicology Information Program, National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD. 1993.
5. California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA). Air Toxics Hot Spots Program Risk Assessment
Guidelines. Part III. Technical Support Document for the Determination of Noncancer Chronic Reference
Exposure Levels. SRP Draft. Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, Berkeley, CA. 1999.
6. National Toxicology Program. Carcinogenesis Bioassay of Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (CAS No. 117-81-7) in
F344 Rats and B6C3F Mice (Feed Studies). NTP TR 217. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
1
Public Health Service, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD. 1982.
7. American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH). 1999 TLVs and BEIs. Threshold Limit
Values for Chemical Substances and Physical Agents. Biological Exposure Indices. Cincinnati, OH. 1999.
8. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards. U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention. Cincinnati, OH. 1997.
9. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Occupational Safety and Health Standards, Toxic
and Hazardous Substances. Code of Federal Regulations. 29 CFR 1910.1000. 1998.