Inhalation of phthalate aerosols for long-term human toxicological studies – A feasibility study (IPA1)

The objective of this study is to optimize an aerosol generating system for semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) to enable toxicological studies with healthy participants via inhalation.

A protocol allowing control of the exposure dose is thus planned in this study, along with a protocol for repeated exposures at home. Five healthy participants are recruited to evaluate the aerosol generating system as well as the exposure protocol.

SVOCs are ubiquitous in our daily lives, whether at home or in the workplace. They are detected in air and dust, exposing the general population to potential health effects. Phthalates are a notable example of SVOCs, with possible impacts on the endocrine system. Some of them are now banned from the Swiss and European markets due to confirmed reprotoxic effects. Widely used by industry to make plastics more flexible, phthalate-containing dust can be easily resuspended into the air through human activity, making inhalation an important exposure route.

The amount and rate at which phthalates are absorbed and eliminated by the human body (i.e., toxicokinetics) following inhalation exposure remain unknown. In our study, Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is used as a model SVOC in toxicokinetic studies involving healthy participants.