BACKGROUND In animals, some phthalates impair male reproductive development and function. Epidemiological studies have reported inconsistent evidence of associations between phthalates and markers of human testicular function. OBJECTIVES We aimed to provide estimates of the effects of phthalate exposure on reproductive hormone levels and semen quality in healthy men. METHODS A total of 881 ...

Phthalates are high-production-volume synthetic chemicals with ubiquitous human exposures because of their use in plastics and other common consumer products. Recent epidemiologic evidence suggests that women have a unique exposure profile to phthalates, which raises concern about the potential health hazards posed by such exposures. Research in our laboratory examines how phthalates interact w...

BACKGROUND Phthalates are a group of endocrine disrupting chemicals suspected to influence the immune system. The aim of this systematic review is to summarise the present knowledge on the influence of phthalates on monocyte and macrophage production and secretion of cytokines, an influence which could affect both pro- and anti-inflammatory abilities of these cells. STRATEGY AND RESULTS A sys...

Human exposure to phthalates is ubiquitous due to widespread commercial use. Although the compounds are reported to be rap­ idly metabolized, concentrations in the body appear to remain fairly stable due to ongoing exposure. The United States and Europe have banned some phthalates from consumer products primarily on the basis of reproductive toxicity data. However, not all phthalates are regula...

Human exposure to phthalates is ubiquitous due to widespread commercial use. Although the compounds are reported to be rap­ idly metabolized, concentrations in the body appear to remain fairly stable due to ongoing exposure. The United States and Europe have banned some phthalates from consumer products primarily on the basis of reproductive toxicity data. However, not all phthalates are regula...

The Harvard community has made this article openly available. Please share how this access benefits you. Your story matters. Phthalates are a class of chemicals used in the manufacturing of a variety of products (Crinnion 2010; Hauser and Calafat 2005; Romero-Franco et al. 2011). These chemicals are often used as plasticizers or solvents in food packaging, cosmetics, perfumes, nail polishes, fl...

Urban runoff quality is recognized as one of the most significant pressures on aquatic ecosystems worldwide. Research into pollutants in urban runoff has traditionally focused on nutrients, suspended solids and metals and consequently knowledge of anthropogenic organic pollutants is limited. The aim of this research was to investigate the occurrence and identify the sources of certain selected ...