Introduction

Abstract

The esters of 1,2-benzene dicarboxylic acid, commonly called phthalate esters, are a diverse group of compounds that have broad use in a wide array of industrial applications. Regulatory oversight of the manufacture, transport, use and disposal of phthalate esters has produced a large amount of data regarding the properties, environmental fate, exposure, and toxicity of these compounds. Such data are critical for the development of safe and accepted production practices, effluent discharge limits, and human exposure limits. The following chapters present, in detail, the information that has been collected regarding these properties.