Phthalate

Phthalates are esters of phthalic acid added to PVC and other plastics as plasticizers to make them flexible. They are not chemically bound to the polymer, so they leach out over the product’s life, making them ubiquitous marine micropollutants associated with plastic debris. Common members are DEHP, DBP, BBP, and DINP. Several are endocrine disruptors with antiandrogenic effects, and the EU restricts DEHP, DBP, BBP, and DIBP as reproductive toxicants under REACH. In seawater they partition to sediment and to the surface of microplastics, which act as a transport and exposure vector.