Phthalate Replacements: Safer Alternatives or Regrettable Replacements?

ABSTRACT

Phthalates are a class of known endocrine disruptors and reproductive toxicants that are widely used in consumer products. As scrutiny of phthalate toxicity has increased, these chemicals have faced restrictions in consumer products such as baby bottles, toys, and childcare articles. Reacting to government and consumer pressure, manufacturers are now replacing phthalates with alternatives, allowing them to market the replacements as “phthalate-free.” As they need to exhibit comparable technical properties and performance, replacements are typically similar in structure to the original chemical. However, there are no safeguards that require replacements of similar structures to demonstrate that they are less likely to cause endocrine disruption. With phthalate replacements rising in market share and human exposure levels overtaking traditional phthalates, there is a pressing need to identify the reproductive toxicity potential of the most prevalent phthalate replacements, as well as identify safer alternatives.

BIOGRAPHY

Dr. Genoa Warner an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Environmental Science at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. She received her PhD in Chemistry from Carnegie Mellon University, where she worked to develop small molecule catalysts to degrade micropollutants in water. She completed postdoctoral training in reproductive toxicology in the Department of Comparative Biosciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Her research on identifying the mechanisms of phthalate toxicity in the ovary is funded by a K99/R00 from NIEHS. Her interdisciplinary independent research program brings together her training in chemistry and biology to develop and apply new tools for environmental toxicology research. Her research focuses on the impacts of exposure to plastics on the female reproductive system, including chemical additives, alternative plasticizers, nanoplastics, and mixtures. Her long-term goal is to apply knowledge of endocrine disruption mechanisms in the design of safer alternative chemicals.