Bebês e exposição a Ftalatos

Quem segue este blog ( e o anterior, antes deste) já nos viu falar um pouco sobre esta família de substâncias chamadas Ftalatos (Phthalates). Basicamente eles são uma grande família de plasticizantes, tornam o PVC maleável, mas podem ser até combustível para foguetes, fixadores de perfumes, aditivos em selantes e adesivos, presente em tintas,...dependendo da molécula em questão.
O artigo que comento hoje diz respeito a exposição precoce de bebês por conta de artigos de toalete e cuidados pessoais. Também não é coisa nova por aqui, mas a fonte e o fato do estudo ter sido conduzido em seres humanos dá relevância ao artigo e confirma estudos anteriores.

Sathyanarayana S, Karr CJ, Lozano P, Brown E, Calafat AM, Liu F, Swan SH. Baby care products: possible sources of infant phthalate exposure. Pediatrics. 2008 Feb;121(2):e260-8.

Department of Occupational and Environmental Health Sciences, Division of General Pediatrics, Child Health Institute, University of Washington, Building 296200, NE 74th St, Seattle, WA 98115-8160, USA. sathyana@u.washington.edu

OBJECTIVES: Phthalates are man-made chemicals found in personal care and other products. Recent studies suggest that some phthalates can alter human male reproductive development, but sources of infant exposure have not been well characterized. We investigated the relationship between phthalate metabolite concentrations in infant urine and maternal reported use of dermally applied infant care products. METHODS: We measured 9 phthalate metabolites in 163 infants who were born in 2000-2005. An infant was considered to have been exposed to any infant care product that the mother reported using on her infant within 24 hours of urine collection. Results of multiple linear regression analyses are reported as the ratio of metabolite concentrations (with 95% confidence intervals) in exposed and unexposed infants. We standardized concentrations by forming z scores and examined combined exposure to multiple metabolites. RESULTS: In most (81%) infants, > or = 7 phthalate metabolites were above the limit of detection. Exposure to lotion was predictive of monoethyl phthalate and monomethyl phthalate concentrations, powder of monoisobutyl phthalate, and shampoo of monomethyl phthalate. Z scores increased with number of products used. Most associations were stronger in younger infants. CONCLUSIONS: Phthalate exposure is widespread and variable in infants. Infant exposure to lotion, powder, and shampoo were significantly associated with increased urinary concentrations of monoethyl phthalate, monomethyl phthalate, and monoisobutyl phthalate, and associations increased with the number of products used. This association was strongest in young infants, who may be more vulnerable to developmental and reproductive toxicity of phthalates given their immature metabolic system capability and increased dosage per unit body surface area.

PS: O artigo está disponível gratuitamente no site da revista "Pediatrics", veículo da Academia Americana de Pediatria. http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/reprint/121/2/e260

Houve um comentário sobre as possíveis "contaminações" dos produtos por outros ingredientes de fórmulas cosméticas, mas em termos práticos o fato é que os bebês continuam expostos a esta família de agentes através dos produtos que deveriam ser inóquos.
Quem quiser ter uma idéia mais completa sobre os efeitos dos Ftalatos nos receptores ativados dos Peroxissomas, pode dar uma olhadinha no "Ftalato do dia" e o artigo de Latini G et alli.