Urinary metabolite concentrations of phthalate metabolites in Central Italy healthy volunteers determined by a validated HPLC/MS/MS analytical method

The main objective of this study was to determine the average concentrations for the metabolites of the four more common phthalates, industrial chemicals widely used in commercial products and potential endocrine disruptors, in the urine of a control population living in Central Italy. The study population consisted of 157 healthy subjects, not occupationally exposed to phthalates (74 males and 83 females). Urinary levels of the analytes were determined by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) with isotopic dilution.The reference values (geometric mean) for males and females were estimated for each metabolite:. Females: for MEP was 72.94 μg/g creatinine (CI 95% 3.63–149.51), for MEHP was 3.37 μg/g creatinine (CI 95% 1.85–4.89), for MEHHP was 12.74 μg/g creatinine (CI 95% 9.45–22.19), for MnBP was 20.26 μg/g creatinine (CI 95% 8.17–28.43) and for MBzP was 14.74 (CI 95% 2.94–17.68). Males: for MEP was 56.35 μg/g creatinine (CI 95% 2.32–110.39), for MEHP was 2.80 μg/g creatinine (CI 95% 1.08–4.52), for MEHHP was 10.77 μg/g creatinine (CI 95% 6.18–16.95), for MnBP was 17.59 μg/g creatinine (CI 95% 5.72–29.45) and for MBzP was 16.44 (CI 95% 7.90–29.45).To obtain reference values for these chemicals is without doubt an important topic for evaluate the exposure of population and their possible health effects. Information from different geographical areas are important to understand the real different background concentrations.