View source for Dibutylphthalate

{{Tocright}}
{{Definition|title=dibutylphthalate (DBP)

|definition= Dibutylphthalate belongs to the family of phthalates: industrial chemicals used as plasticizers, softeners, adhesives or solvents used by a variety of industries. They are used in PVC, paints, printing inks, cosmetics, coatings of cars,...<ref name = OECD>[http://www.ospar.org/documents%5Cdbase%5Cpublications%5CP00270_BD%20on%20phthalates%20_2006%20version_.pdf OSPAR Commission, 2006: OSPAR background document on phthalates]</ref>.}}

== Notes ==

{| class="toccolours" border="1" style="float: right; clear: right; margin: 0 0 1em 1em; border-collapse: collapse;"
! bgcolor="#FF8888" | Dibutylphthalate
|-
| align="center" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | [[Image:Dibutylphthalate.png|200px|Dibutylphthalate]] 
|-
! bgcolor="#8888FF" | Formula 
|-
| align="center" | C<sub>16</sub>H<sub>22</sub>0<sub>4</sub> 
|-
|}
In 1998, 26.000 tons of dibutylphthalate ware produced in the EU of which 18.000 ton was consumed in the EU. <P>
DBP can enter the marine environment through waste water effluents. Cleaning of road tankers releases DBP to the aquatic environment. DBP has a low water solubility (10 mg/l), and tends to [[adsorption|adsorb]] to sediments. It is very stable but can be biodegraded, causing it to have an environmental [[half-life]] of 50 days. It has some potential to [[bioaccumulation|bioaccumulate]] in some organisms, however because of its biodegradability it is not expected to [[biomagnification|biomagnify]] through [[food chain|food chains]]. <P>
Concentrations above 0,04 mg/l are shown to cause adverse effects on aquatic invertebrates and concentrations above 0,2 mg/l can have lethal effects. Concentrations above 0,5 mg/l can cause acute [[toxic|toxicity]] for fishes. It has also been show to be able to act as an [[endocrine disrupting compounds|endocrine disruptor]] in vertebrates. As such it causes adverse effects on the development and reproduction of rats<ref name = OECD>[http://www.ospar.org/documents%5Cdbase%5Cpublications%5CP00270_BD%20on%20phthalates%20_2006%20version_.pdf OSPAR Commission, 2006: OSPAR background document on phthalates]</ref>.<P> 

In sea water concentrations of 3 µg/l have been measured, although they are usually below 0,5 µg/l. Concentrations in sediments can reach 2,4 mg/kg [[dry weight]] but are usually around 0,01 mg/kg dry weight.<P>

There is a potential risk for ecotoxicological effects of dibutylphthalate on aquatic species in the marine environment, but only at a local scale and mainly for organisms living in sediments<ref name = OECD>[http://www.ospar.org/documents%5Cdbase%5Cpublications%5CP00270_BD%20on%20phthalates%20_2006%20version_.pdf OSPAR Commission, 2006: OSPAR background document on phthalates]</ref>. 
<P>
<BR>
<P>

== Environmental standards and legislation ==

[[OSPAR List of priority substances|Included in the OSPAR list of substances of priority action]] 
<P>
<BR>
<P>

== See also ==
[http://www.ospar.org/documents%5Cdbase%5Cpublications%5CP00270_BD%20on%20phthalates%20_2006%20version_.pdf OSPAR background document on phthalates] 
<P>
<BR>
<P>

==References==
<references/>
{{author
|AuthorID=19826
|AuthorFullName=Daphnis De Pooter
|AuthorName=Daphnisd}}

[[Category:Toxicity chemicals]]