Plasticizers and bisphenols in blood from Sicilian women: Associations with food-contact behaviors in a human biomonitoring study.

Abstract

This study investigated blood levels of phthalates, non-phthalate plasticizers (NPPs), and bisphenols in 39 Sicilian women and evaluated how food-contact practices contribute to multivariate exposure profiles. A total of 23 plasticizers and 9 bisphenols were analyzed in whole blood using validated GC-MS and LC-MS/MS methods. At least one plasticizer was detected in every participant, whereas bisphenols were rarely quantified. Five phthalates (DMP, DEP, DBP, DiBP, DEHP) and two NPPs (DiBA, DEHT) showed the highest occurrence, with broad concentration ranges indicating marked inter-individual variability. Correlation analysis revealed coherent PAE co-exposure patterns, mixed PAE-DiBA associations, and a distinct DEHT-driven profile. Participants were classified into four chemically defined exposure clusters based on total plasticizer burden and relative PAE/NPP dominance: C1 (Low-PAE), C2 (High-PAE), C3 (Low-NPP), and C4 (High-NPP). PCA and CDA confirmed that these profiles represent distinct multivariate exposure patterns, supported by significant differences in individual compounds and derived indices. Food-contact behaviors differed significantly across clusters. High-NPP profiles (C4) reported the most frequent use of PET bottles, PET container reuse, rigid trays, and plastic-based storage or heating practices, whereas C1 showed consistently lower frequencies. These findings highlight substantial heterogeneity in exposure patterns and demonstrate that everyday food-contact habits play a measurable role in shaping blood levels of plasticizers in Mediterranean women.