Plasticizers are synthetic organic chemicals that are used in different products to make them flexible, elastic, and durable. Plasticizers are not attached to the products by covalent bonds, as a result, they leach out from the products leading to environmental contamination. The most widely used plasticizer, Di-(2-ethyl hexyl) phthalate (DEHP), have been restricted from general use in the EU, Canada, and the USA due to their reported toxicity. The alternative plasticizer, Di-(isononyl) cyclohexane-1,2-dicarboxylate (DINCH), was introduced to the European market as a safer alternative for endocrine-disrupting phthalates such as DEHP, and diisononyl phthalate (DINP).  According to the current toxicological data, DINCH is neither an endocrine disruptor and nor a reproductive toxicant. Thus, DINCH was approved for use in food contact containers, and in children’s toys.  The increase in global demand for alternative plasticizers led to their buildup in the environment and an increase in DINCH exposure. The lack of toxicity data and safety assessment of DINCH has raised the concern to human and animal health. Due to the similar structure of DEHP, DINP, and DINCH, we suggest that DINCH can be classified as a metabolic disruptor that alters fat metabolism and induces adipogenesis. In this study, we investigated the negatives effects of DINCH (at concentrations ranging from 0.01 to 10 μM) compared it to phthalates DINP, DEHP, Dibutyl phthalate (DBP), and Diethyl phthalate (DEP) at the early developmental stages of zebrafish. We further analyzed DINCH and DINP using the mouse preadipocyte cells  3T3L1. We found that DINCH and DEHP caused hatching delay in a dose-dependent manner. Behavioral analysis of larvae demonstrated that DEHP, DBP, DEP, and DINCH impair motor activity. The Oil Red O lipid staining showed a slight lipid accumulation in larval zebrafish at different DINP and DINCH concentrations. To further confirm the findings, qPCR was performed to analyze lipid metabolism genes. DINCH and DINP altered lipid metabolism genes including, fasn, srebp, pparg etc.  The oxidative stress state imposed by DINCH exposure was shown by a slight increase in superoxide dismutase enzymatic activity and the alteration on stress-related genes. In 3T3L1 cells, 10 and 100 μM of DINCH and DINP exposure induced lipid droplets formation like that induced by 100 nM rosiglitazone. Genes associated with lipid metabolism and lipid transport were altered by DINCH and DINP. These results indicate that DINCH exposure could induce physiological and metabolic toxicity. The data presented in this thesis could provide crucial information for further toxicological assessment.

The use of the plasticizer bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) and other plasticizers in the manufacture of plastic products has been restricted due to adverse health outcomes such as obesity, metabolic syndrome, and asthma, for which inflammation has been described to be a driving factor. The emerging alternative plasticizer 1,2-cyclohexanedioic acid diisononyl ester (DINCH) still lacks information regarding its potential effects on the immune system. Here, we investigated the effects of DINCH and its naturally occurring metabolite monoisononylcyclohexane-1,2-dicarboxylic acid ester (MINCH) on the innate immune response. Human THP-1 macrophages were exposed to 10 nM–10 μM DINCH or MINCH for 4 h, 16 h, and 24 h. To decipher the underlying mechanism of action, we applied an untargeted proteomic approach that revealed xenobiotic-induced activation of immune-related pathways such as the nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) signaling pathway. Key drivers were associated with oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, DNA damage repair, apoptosis, and autophagy. We verified increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) leading to cellular damage, NF-κB activation, and subsequent TNF and IL-1β release, even at low nM concentrations. Taken together, DINCH and MINCH induced cellular stress and pro-inflammatory effects in macrophages, which may lead to adverse health effects.

Phthalate esters (PEs) and alternative plasticizers used as additives in numerous consumer products are continuously released into the environment leading to subsequent human exposure. The ubiquitous presence and potential adverse health effects (e.g. endocrine disruption and reproductive toxicity) of some PEs are responsible for their bans or restrictions. This has led to increasing use of alternative plasticizers, especially cyclohexane-1,2-dicarboxylic acid diisononyl ester (DINCH). Human exposure data on alternative plasticizers are lacking and clear evidence for human exposure has previously only been found for di(2-ethylhexyl) terephthalate (DEHTP) and DINCH, with increasing trends in body burdens. In this thesis, a study population of 61 adults (age: 20–66; gender: 16 males and 45 females) living in the Oslo area (Norway) was studied for their exposure to plasticizers. Information on sociodemographic and lifestyle characteristics that potentially affect the concentrations of PE and DINCH metabolites in adults was collected by questionnaires. Using the human biomonitoring approach, we evaluated the internal exposure to PEs and DINCH by measuring concentrations of their metabolites in urine (where metabolism and excretion are well understood) and using these data to back-calculate daily intakes. Metabolite levels in finger nails were also determined. Since reference standards of human metabolites for other important alternative plasticizers apart from DINCH (e.g. DEHTP, di(2-propylheptyl) phthalate (DPHP), di(2-ethylhexyl) adipate (DEHA) and acetyl tributyl citrate (ATBC)) are not commercially available, we further investigated the urine and finger nail samples by Q Exactive Orbitrap LC-MS to identify specific metabolites, which can be used as appropriate biomarkers of human exposure. Many metabolites of alternative plasticizers that were present in in vitro extracts were further identified in vivo in urine and finger nail samples. Hence, we concluded that in vitro assays can reliably mimic the in vivo processes. Also, finger nails may be a useful non-invasive matrix for human biomonitoring of specific organic contaminants, but further validation is needed. Concentrations of PEs and DINCH were also measured in duplicate diet, air, dust and hand wipes. External exposure, estimated based on dietary intake, air inhalation, dust ingestion and dermal uptake, was higher or equal to the back-calculated internal intake. By comparing these, we were able to explain the relative importance of different exposure pathways for the Norwegian study population. Dietary intake was the predominant exposure route for all analyzed substances. Inhalation was important only for lower molecular weight PEs, while dust ingestion was important for higher molecular weight PEs and DINCH. Dermal uptake based on hand wipes was much lower than the total dermal uptake calculated via air, dust and personal care products, but still several research gaps remain for this exposure pathway. Based on calculated intakes, the exposure risk for the Norwegian participants to the PEs and DINCH did not exceed the established tolerable daily intake and reference doses, and the cumulative risk assessment for combined exposure to plasticizers with similar toxic endpoints indicated no health concerns for the selected population. Nevertheless, exposure to alternative plasticizers, such as DPHP and DINCH, is expected to increase in the future and continuous monitoring is required. Findings through uni- and multivariate analysis suggested that age, smoking, use of personal care products and many other everyday habits, such as washing hands or eating food from plastic packages are possible contributors to plasticizer exposure. / <p>At the time of the doctoral defense, the following paper was unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 4: Manuscript.</p>

This thesis describes the development of a generic model for predicting the emissions of organic compounds from materials used in the manufacture of various goods and products. Many products contain organic substances that are not bound to the matrix formed by their constituent materials and are thus able to dissociate from the material and become transferred into the surrounding environment. A wide range of materials and products are used in modern societies, and many compounds deriving from these materials are regarded as emerging pollutants in both indoor and outdoor environments. The model uses three components to describe the transfer of compounds from materials to the surrounding environment: partitioning of the compound between the material and its surroundings based on linear free energy relationships, diffusion within the material based on the Piringer equation, and convective mass transfer in air or water based on an empirical flat surface model. The model’s predictive capacity was tested against three experimental case studies: emissions of plasticizers from vinyl flooring and triphenyl phosphate from LCD screens into the air, and leaching of organophosphates from concrete into water. The rates of emission from vinyl flooring were clearly affected by the number of layers comprising the material. Triphenyl phosphate was found in the front surface of all tested flat screens and its rates of emission were related to the nature of the screen and its operating temperature. The model accurately predicted emissions into the air and leaching from concrete into water once modified to include modules that describe dissolution from surfaces and diffusion in water-filled pores. The model was then used to investigate emissions on the national scale. It was found that the rates of emission from vinyl flooring are not changing over time, and that the total mass of emitted material is dependent on annual sales volumes and the expected life span of the vinyl flooring. Moreover, the additive used has a large effect on the emitted mass. Emissions from flat screen displays depend strongly on their operating temperatures: displays with high working temperatures that are active for extended periods of time produce more emissions. The model was also used to study the release of organophosphates from the concrete used to make a bridge, which depended on the flow of water under the bridge, the temperature, the porosity of the concrete, and the additive’s water solubility. Data on annual sales volumes and the total surface area of sold goods are essential when studying emissions on a national scale. National retailers’ organizations are valuable sources of such information. When adequate data are not available, it is necessary to perform uncertainty analyses to determine the impact of uncertainty in the modeling of different stages of the emissions process in different scenarios.