Plasticisers content in women’s blood at different ages.

Phthalic acid esters (PAEs) are used as additives in the formulation of plastic polymers. Phthalates are regarded as endocrine disruptors and may have adverse effects on human health. Currently, instead of PAEs, non-phthalate plasticisers (NPPs) are used, including adipates (DEHA), sebacates and terephthalates (DEHT). The presence of PAEs in the ecosystem is ubiquitous, including the marine environment, sediments, and foods, such as fish, meat, cheese, herbs, and spices. Inevitably they are ingested or absorbed by the human body. However, the bibliography on the presence of plasticisers in human blood is limited. In this work the plasticisers were evaluated in women’s blood at different ages, ranging between 20 and 60 years, from the same geographical area. Extraction of plasticiser residues was performed on 40 whole blood samples in hexane and simultaneously qualitative-quantitative analysis was performed by GC/MS-MS. Results show that residues of PAEs and NPPs were found in all samples analysed, assuming presumably an age-varying residue content. Further research will be devoted to investigating the effects of such molecules on blood cells.