A common plasticizer called DINCH—found in products that come into close contact with humans, such as medical devices, children’s toys, and food packaging—might not be as safe as initially thought.
According to a new study, DINCH exerts biological effects on metabolic processes in mammals.
The findings, published in the journal Environmental Research, may have important implications since DINCH has been promoted by industry as a safe alternative to phthalate plasticizers, despite there being no publicly available peer-reviewed data on its toxicology.
“This is the first study to show a biological disruptive effect of the plasticizer DINCH and its metabolites on the metabolism in mammals,” said lead author Vassilios Papadopoulos, a researcher in the Experimental Therapeutics and Metabolism Program of the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center (RI-MUHC) and a professor of medicine at McGill University.
“These findings show that DINCH might not be as safe as it has been promoted, and there is a real need for more research on the safety and the use of this widely used product.”
