Research Product

Dibutyl phthalate (DBP), one of a large class of alkyl esters of 1,2-benzene dicarboxylic acid, is used widely in the United States and other countries as a plasticizer for epoxy and PVC resin. Significant amounts of DBP commonly occur in the aquatic environment, including the sediment. Its octanol-water partition coefficient of #5.2 (US EPA 1979) indicates that sorption of DBP by sediment could be substantial in waters polluted by this chemical. Concentrations as high as 89 ppb have been reported in sediment samples from Chesapeake Bay and up to 15.5 ppm in those from the Rhine River. To obtain information on the effects of DBP on estuarine communities exposed via the sediment, we investigated the responses of macrobenthic animals that colonized sand contaminated with this chemical in the laboratory and field.