Exposure to benzophenones during pregnancy and the influence of socioeconomic, lifestyle, and environmental factors on exposure levels

Abstract

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) have emerged as significant environmental pollutants. Benzophenones (BPs), a group of EDCs, are widely used and suspected of interfering with human health from early development to later life stages. This study assessed urinary concentrations of selected BPs, including 2,4-dihydroxy benzophenone (BP-1), 2-hydroxy-4-methoxy benzophenone (BP-3), 4-hydroxy benzophenone (4-OH-BP), and 2,2'-dihydroxy-4-methoxy benzophenone (BP-8), in 166 pregnant women from the PERSIAN cohort in Isfahan, Iran, during the first trimester. The study also examined the associations between maternal BP levels and socioeconomic, lifestyle, and environmental factors. BP-1 and BP-3 were detected in all samples, followed by 4-OH-BP (98 ) and BP-8 (95 ). Among the BP metabolites, the highest level belonged to BP-3 with a median concentration of 7.50 mug/g Creatinine (Cr) and the lowest was assigned to BP-8 amounting to 1.32 mug/g Cr. Multivariate regression analysis indicated that food consumption behaviour and storage methods, physical activity, and education level were significantly correlated with urinary 4-OH-BP concentrations (p </= 0.5). BP-3 levels were positively associated with personal care product (PCP) use, food consumption habits, physical activity, and income. BP-1 was linked to food consumption habits and PCP usage, while BP-8 was associated with household cleaning product (HCP) use and income level. These findings suggest that demographic, socioeconomic, lifestyle and environmental factors influence maternal BP exposure in early pregnancy, potentially affecting foetal development. Further research is needed to confirm these effects. Regulatory measures should be considered to minimize BP exposure, particularly among pregnant women.