During the population representative German Environmental Survey of Children and Adolescents (GerES V, 2014–2017) 2256 first-morning void urine samples from 3 to 17 years old children and adolescents were analysed for 21 metabolites of 11 different phthalates (di-methyl phthalate (DMP), di-ethyl phthalate (DEP), butylbenzyl phthalate (BBzP), di-iso-butyl phthalate (DiBP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP), di-cyclohexyl phthalate (DCHP), di-n-pentyl phthalate (DnPeP), di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), di-iso-nonyl phthalate (DiNP), di-iso-decyl phthalate (DiDP) and di-n-octyl phthalate (DnOP)).

Metabolites of DMP, DEP, BBzP, DiBP, DnBP, DEHP, DiNP and DiDP were found in 97%–100% of the participants, DCHP and DnPeP in 6%, and DnOP in none of the urine samples. Geometric means (GM) were highest for metabolites of DiBP (MiBP: 26.1 μg/L), DEP (MEP: 25.8 μg/L), DnBP (MnBP: 20.9 μg/L), and DEHP (cx-MEPP: 11.9 μg/L). For all phthalates but DEP, GMs were consistently higher in the 3–5 years old children than in the 14–17 years old adolescents. For DEHP, the age differences were most pronounced. All detectable phthalate biomarker concentrations were positively associated with the levels of the respective phthalate in house dust.

In GerES V we found considerably lower phthalate biomarker levels than in the preceding GerES IV (2003–2006). GMs of biomarker levels in GerES V were only 18% (BBzP), 23% (MnBP), 23% (DEHP), 29% (MiBP) and 57% (DiNP) of those measured a decade earlier in GerES IV.

However, some children and adolescents still exceeded health-based guidance values in the current GerES V. 0.38% of the participants had levels of DnBP, 0.08% levels of DEHP and 0.007% levels of DiNP which were higher than the respective health-based guidance values. Accordingly, for these persons an impact on health cannot be excluded with sufficient certainty.

The ongoing and substantial exposure of vulnerable children and adolescents to many phthalates confirms the need of a continued monitoring of established phthalates, whether regulated or not, as well as of potential substitutes. With this biomonitoring approach we provide a picture of current individual and cumulative exposure developments and body burdens to phthalates, thus providing support for timely and effective chemicals policies and legislation.

在以人口为代表的德国儿童和青少年环境调查（GerES V，2014–2017）中，对2256例3至17岁儿童和青少年的早晨清晨尿液样本中11种不同邻苯二甲酸盐（邻苯二甲酸二甲酯（ DMP），邻苯二甲酸二乙酯（DEP），邻苯二甲酸丁苄酯（BBzP），邻苯二甲酸二异丁酯（DiBP），邻苯二甲酸二正丁酯（DnBP），邻苯二甲酸二环己基酯（DCHP），邻苯二甲酸二正戊酯邻苯二甲酸酯（DnPeP），邻苯二甲酸二（2-乙基己基）酯（DEHP），邻苯二甲酸二异壬酯（DiNP），邻苯二甲酸二异癸酯（DiDP）和邻苯二甲酸二正辛酯（DnOP））。

在97％–100％的参与者中发现了DMP，DEP，BBzP，DiBP，DnBP，DEHP，DiNP和DiDP的代谢产物，在6％的尿液样本中发现了DCHP和DnPeP的代谢产物。DiBP（MiBP：26.1μg/ L），DEP（MEP：25.8μg/ L），DnBP（MnBP：20.9μg/ L）和DEHP（cx-MEPP：11.9μg/ L）的代谢物的几何平均值（GM）最高L）。对于DEP以外的所有邻苯二甲酸盐，在3-5岁儿童中，GM持续高于14-17岁青少年。对于DEHP，年龄差异最为明显。所有可检测到的邻苯二甲酸酯生物标志物浓度均与室内灰尘中各自邻苯二甲酸酯的含量呈正相关。

在GerES V中，我们发现邻苯二甲酸酯生物标志物的水平大大低于之前的GerES IV（2003-2006年）。GerES V中生物标志物水平的GM仅是十年前在GerES IV中测得的GMs的18％（BBzP），23％（MnBP），23％（DEHP），29％（MiBP）和57％（DiNP）。

但是，一些儿童和青少年仍超过当前GerES V中基于健康的指导值。0.38％的参与者的DnBP水平，DEHP的0.08％水平和DiNP的0.007％高于相应的基于健康的指导价值观。因此，对于这些人而言，不能充分肯定地排除对健康的影响。

易受伤害的儿童和青少年对大量邻苯二甲酸盐的持续大量暴露，证实了需要继续监测既定的邻苯二甲酸盐（无论是否受到管制）以及潜在的替代物。通过这种生物监测方法，我们可以了解当前个体和累积接触物的发展情况以及邻苯二甲酸盐对人体的负担，从而为及时有效的化学品政策和法规提供支持。