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Occurrence characteristics, neurotoxicity risk, and potential mechanisms of traditional phthalate esters and novel alternatives in indoor dust
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Wei LI, Ke GAO*, Kai HUA, Linxiao WANG, Wei WEI, Liping LU
Chinese Journal of Chromatography | 2026, 44(5) : 575 - 588
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Chinese Journal of Chromatography | 2026, 44(5): 575-588
• Article •
Occurrence characteristics, neurotoxicity risk, and potential mechanisms of traditional phthalate esters and novel alternatives in indoor dust
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Wei LI, Ke GAO*, Kai HUA, Linxiao WANG, Wei WEI, Liping LU
Affiliations
  • 1Key Laboratory of Beijing on Regional Air Pollution Control, Department of Environmental Science, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
Published: 2026-05-08 doi: 10.3724/SP.J.1123.2025.06025
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Traditional phthalate esters (PAEs) and their novel alternatives are widely used as plasticizers. Owing to their non-covalent bonding with polymer matrices, these compounds readily migrate from materials and accumulate in indoor dust, posing potential risks to human health. Although their carcinogenic and reproductive toxicities have been extensively studied, their neurotoxicity, particularly that of novel alternatives, remains poorly understood. To address this knowledge gap, this study adopted an integrated approach combining pollution profiling, health risk assessment, and mechanistic investigation to systematically evaluate the neurotoxicity risks and potential mechanisms of PAEs and their alternatives in typical campus microenvironments (classrooms, laboratories, offices, cafeterias, and dormitories). The contamination profile of target compounds in indoor dust was determined using comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC×GC-TOF MS). By integrating three exposure pathways (ingestion, inhalation, and dermal contact of dust) with absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET) models, the estimated daily intakes (EDIs) and neurotoxic health risks for different populations were assessed. Furthermore, network toxicology and molecular docking techniques were employed to elucidate the potential toxic mechanisms. Results indicated that dormitories exhibited the highest contents of target compounds, with major components including di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), di(2-ethylhexyl) tetrahydrophthalate (DEHTH), acetyl tri-n-butyl citrate (ATBC), and trioctyl trimellitate (TOTM). Exposure assessment identified ingestion as the predominant exposure route. Using the ADMET model, toxicity equivalency factor (TEF) and toxic equivalent quantity (TEQ) were quantified for five neurotoxicity-related health endpoints, including phenotypic neurotoxicity, estrogen receptor activity, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and DNA damage. Risk assessment based on TEQ revealed that females aged 18-60 years faced higher neurotoxicity risks than males, although no statistically significant gender differences in EDI were observed across all age groups. Mechanistically, network toxicology identified 59 core targets associated with neurotoxicity, including oncogene, non-receptor tyrosine kinase (SRC), serine/threonine kinase 1 (AKT1), estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK1, MAPK3), heat shock protein 90 alpha family class a member 1 (HSP90AA1), and Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS). Functional enrichment analysis showed that these core targets were predominantly enriched in pathways related to endocrine resistance and cancer, suggesting that these compounds may induce neurotoxicity by disrupting cellular homeostasis and signal transduction. Molecular docking supported specific binding interactions between representative compounds and core proteins, validating the predicted associations. Notably, diphenyl phthalate (DPhP) and dicyclohexyl phthalate (DCHP) were identified as the key risk drivers. In contrast, novel alternatives with fewer aromatic rings and ester groups, such as diheptyl, N-nonyl adipate (DHeNoA), diisobutyl adipate (DiBA), and diisodecyl adipate (DiDeA), exhibited lower neurotoxic potential. Structure-activity relationship analysis suggested that the synergistic effect of aromatic rings and ester groups is a critical mechanism inducing neurotoxicity. By integrating environmental exposure profiling, TEQ-based risk assessment, and molecular mechanism analysis, this study not only delineates the neurotoxicity risk profile for specific campus populations but also elucidates the influence of molecular structure on neurotoxicity, providing a scientific basis for the targeted screening of low-neurotoxicity alternatives and informed risk management of indoor environmental health.

phthalate esters  /  novel alternatives  /  indoor dust  /  occurrence characteristics  /  neurotoxicity risk  /  potential mechanisms
李伟, 高珂, 华凯, 王林啸, 魏巍, 鲁理平. 室内灰尘中传统邻苯二甲酸酯及新型替代品的赋存特征、神经毒性风险与潜在机制. 色谱, 2026 , 44 (5) : 575 -588 . DOI: 10.3724/SP.J.1123.2025.06025
Wei LI, Ke GAO, Kai HUA, Linxiao WANG, Wei WEI, Liping LU. Occurrence characteristics, neurotoxicity risk, and potential mechanisms of traditional phthalate esters and novel alternatives in indoor dust[J]. Chinese Journal of Chromatography, 2026 , 44 (5) : 575 -588 . DOI: 10.3724/SP.J.1123.2025.06025
Year 2026 volume 44 Issue 5
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doi: 10.3724/SP.J.1123.2025.06025
  • Receive Date:2025-06-26
  • Online Date:2026-10-27
  • Published:2026-05-08
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  • Received:2025-06-26
Affiliations
    1Key Laboratory of Beijing on Regional Air Pollution Control, Department of Environmental Science, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
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表12种不同金属材料的力学参数
科
Family
属数
Number of
genus
种数
Number of
species
占总种数比例
Percentage of
total species (%)
属
Genus
种数
Number of
species
占总种数比例
Percentage of total
species (%)
鹅膏菌科Amanitaceae 2 11 5.26 鹅膏菌属 Amanita 10 4.78
小菇科 Mycenaceae 2 12 5.74 丝盖伞属 Inocybe 5 2.39
多孔菌科 Polyporaceae 8 14 6.70 蜡蘑属 Laccaria 5 2.39
红菇科 Russulaceae 3 23 11.00 小皮伞属 Marasmius 6 2.87
小菇属 Mycena 11 5.26
光柄菇属 Pluteus 5 2.39
红菇属 Russula 17 8.13
栓菌属 Trametes 5 2.39
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