| Abstract: | Abstract In vivo studies of urinary bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) levels in dogs and in non-uremic patients undergoing hemodialysis treatments for psoriasis were undertaken. Dogs were divided into 3 groups: Control, Sham-Operated, and Nephrectomized. Each dog received 225 mg DEHP per kilogram body weight via the femoral vein. Each of the non-uremic patients underwent hemodialysis therapy for 4–5 hours once a week for four consecutive weeks to treat their psoriatic condition. Specimens of 2 4 hr urine were collected and analyzed for DEHP by gas chromatography. The detection limit of DEHP in urine is 15 ng/ml. No detectable DEHP was found in the urine of all pre-injection specimens obtained from all three groups of dogs. The total urinary DEHP concentrations for the four day period were found to be 76.1 and 192.2 μg for the Control and the Sham-Operated dogs, respectively. No urine samples could be collected from the Nephrectomized dogs. DEHP levels were found in the 24 hr urine specimens from some of the non-uremic patients undergoing hemodialysis therapy. The DEHP concentrations ranged from non-detectable to 159.8 yg/24 hrs. Normal renal function seems to be necessary for the excretion of non-metabolized DEHP. |
