phthalate

[ thal-eyt, fthal- ]

noun

, Chemistry.

1. a salt or ester of phthalic acid: phthalates are used mainly, and profusely, as plasticizers and solvents, but growing concern over their environmental impact has led to interest in developing biological alternatives.

phthalate

/ ˈfθæl-; ˈθælɪt /

noun

1. a salt or ester of phthalic acid. Esters are commonly used as plasticizers in PVC; when ingested they can cause kidney and liver damage

phthalate

/ thăl′āt′,fthăl′- /

1. Any of a group of esters of phthalic acid, widely used in manufacturing plastics and as a synthetic additive in perfumes and cosmetics, that have been linked to reproductive and hormonal abnormalities in humans and other animals.

Word History and Origins

Origin of phthalate¹

First recorded in 1860–65; phthal(ic) ( def ) + -ate ²( def )

Example Sentences

"Based on the different types of phthalate breakdown products we found," Bloom explained, "we were able to estimate if the presence of phthalates in children’s urine was more likely to be related to the skin care products themselves or to their packaging. We also studied if these patterns were different based on race, ethnicity, and gender."

From Salon

They also learned that there are "different relationships between use of skin care products and urinary phthalates and phthalate replacement chemicals in children with different racial and ethnic identities and different sex assigned birth."

From Salon

Similarly, the scientists discovered that "distinct patterns of using multiple skin care products were predictive of higher urinary concentrations of phthalate and phthalate replacement chemicals that are typically used as plasticizers in packaging."

From Salon

The NYU study, published in Lancet Planetary Health, examined a cohort of more than 5,000 mothers in the United States, and found that those with the most phthalate in urine samples collected at three points during their pregnancies were the most likely to experience a preterm birth — a finding that the researchers said is consistent with other studies.

From Salon

After controlling for confounding factors such as the mothers’ age, tobacco use, race, and education, they estimated phthalate exposure contributed to more than 56,000 preterm births in the U.S. in 2018.

From Salon