Diisononyl phthalate (DINP) is a

phthalate Phthalates ( ), or phthalate esters, are esters of phthalic acid. They are mainly used as plasticizers, i.e., substances added to plastics to increase their flexibility, transparency, durability, and longevity. They are used primarily to soften ...

used as a

plasticizer A plasticizer ( UK: plasticiser) is a substance that is added to a material to make it softer and more flexible, to increase its plasticity, to decrease its viscosity, and/or to decrease friction during its handling in manufacture. Plasticizer ...

. DINP is typically a mixture of chemical compounds consisting of various isononyl

ester In chemistry, an ester is a compound derived from an acid (either organic or inorganic) in which the hydrogen atom (H) of at least one acidic hydroxyl group () of that acid is replaced by an organyl group (R). These compounds contain a distin ...

s of

phthalic acid In organic chemistry, phthalic acid is an aromatic dicarboxylic acid, with formula and structure . Although phthalic acid is of modest commercial importance, the closely related derivative phthalic anhydride is a commodity chemical produced on ...

Use

It is commonly used in a large variety of

plastic Plastics are a wide range of synthetic polymers, synthetic or Semisynthesis, semisynthetic materials composed primarily of Polymer, polymers. Their defining characteristic, Plasticity (physics), plasticity, allows them to be Injection moulding ...

products including: * Plasticizer in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) * Construction and building material * Fuel and automotive products * In electronics materials (as a flexible vinyl additive) * As cable insulation additive * Adhesives and sealants * Paints and coatings * Rubber products.

Health issues

The European Union has set a maximum specific migration limit (SML) from

food contact materials Food contact materials or food contacting substances (FCS) are materials that are intended to be in contact with food. These can be things that are quite obvious like a glass or a can for soft drinks as well as machinery in a food factory or a ...

of 9 mg/kg food for the sum of diisononyl phthalates and

diisodecyl phthalate Diisodecyl phthalate (DIDP) is a commonly used plasticizer used in the production of plastic and plastic coating to increase flexibility. It is a mixture of compounds derived from the esterification of phthalic acid and isomeric decyl alcohols. ...

s. DINP is listed as a substance "known to the State of California to cause cancer" under

Proposition 65 Proposition 65 (formally titled The Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, and also referred to as Prop 65) is a California law passed by direct voter initiative in 1986 by a 63%–37% vote. Its goals are to protect drinking wate ...

legislation. Studies find that exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of DINP in

zebrafish The zebrafish (''Danio rerio'') is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the family Danionidae of the order Cypriniformes. Native to South Asia, it is a popular aquarium fish, frequently sold under the trade name zebra danio (an ...

disrupt the

endocannabinoid system The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is a biological system composed of endocannabinoids, which are neurotransmitters that bind to cannabinoid receptors, and cannabinoid receptor proteins that are expressed throughout the central nervous system ( ...

(ECS) and affect

reproduction Reproduction (or procreation or breeding) is the biological process by which new individual organisms – "offspring" – are produced from their "parent" or parents. There are two forms of reproduction: Asexual reproduction, asexual and Sexual ...

in a gender specific manner, and have other adverse effects on aquatic organisms, as DINP upregulates

orexigenic An orexigenic, or appetite stimulant, is a drug, hormone, or compound that increases appetite and may induce hyperphagia. This can be a medication or a naturally occurring neuropeptide hormone, such as ghrelin, orexin or neuropeptide Y, which inc ...

signals and causes hepatosteatosis together with deregulation of the

peripheral A peripheral device, or simply peripheral, is an auxiliary hardware device that a computer uses to transfer information externally. A peripheral is a hardware component that is accessible to and controlled by a computer but is not a core compo ...

ECS and

lipid metabolism Lipid metabolism is the synthesis and degradation of lipids in cells, involving the breakdown and storage of fats for energy and the synthesis of structural and functional lipids, such as those involved in the construction of cell membranes. In ani ...

. The

ECHA The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA; ) is an agency of the European Union working for the safe use of chemicals. It manages the technical and administrative aspects of the implementation of the European Union regulation called Registration, ...

's Risk Assessment Committee (RAC) has concluded, on March 7, 2018, that Di-isononyl phthalate (DINP) does not warrant classification for

reprotoxic Reproductive toxicity refers to the potential risk from a given chemical, physical or biologic agent to adversely affect both male and female fertility as well as offspring development. Reproductive toxicants may adversely affect sexual functio ...

effects under the EU's Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP) regulations. Children and childcare products are strictly regulated by regulatory organizations.

References

{{HealthIssuesOfPlastics Phthalate esters Plasticizers

Use

Health issues

See also

References