Food & Drink / Compounds / Di-n-octyl phthalate (DNOP)

Di-n-octyl phthalate (DNOP) in food: ingestion safety

Low risk

(People-specific data is limited; this page draws from human adult context.) Di-n-octyl phthalate (DNOP; CAS 117-84-0) presents a low risk to human adults at current exposure levels. The US EPA chronic oral RfD of 10 mg/kg/day corresponds to a daily tolerable intake of ~700 mg for a 70-kg adult — orders of magnitude above estimated human dietary intakes from food contact materials and environmental sources. DNOP biomonitoring urinary metabolite (MOP) detection in population studies confirms background exposure, but at levels well below risk thresholds. DNOP anti-androgenic activity in vitro is documented but at concentrations substantially above environmentally or dietarily realistic exposures. DNOP use has declined in many applications as manufacturers shifted to DINP and DIDP or non-phthalate alternatives, further reducing human exposure.

What is di-n-octyl phthalate (dnop)?

The IUPAC name is dioctyl benzene-1,2-dicarboxylate.

Also known as: dioctyl benzene-1,2-dicarboxylate, Dioctyl phthalate, DI-N-OCTYL PHTHALATE, DNOP.

IUPAC name
dioctyl benzene-1,2-dicarboxylate
CAS number
117-84-0
Molecular formula
C24H38O4
Molecular weight
390.6 g/mol
SMILES
CCCCCCCCOC(=O)C1=CC=CC=C1C(=O)OCCCCCCCC
PubChem CID
8346

Risk for people

Low risk

Di-n-octyl phthalate (DNOP; CAS 117-84-0) presents a low risk to human adults at current exposure levels. The US EPA chronic oral RfD of 10 mg/kg/day corresponds to a daily tolerable intake of ~700 mg for a 70-kg adult — orders of magnitude above estimated human dietary intakes from food contact materials and environmental sources. DNOP biomonitoring urinary metabolite (MOP) detection in population studies confirms background exposure, but at levels well below risk thresholds. DNOP anti-androgenic activity in vitro is documented but at concentrations substantially above environmentally or dietarily realistic exposures. DNOP use has declined in many applications as manufacturers shifted to DINP and DIDP or non-phthalate alternatives, further reducing human exposure.

Regulatory consensus

3 regulatory and scientific bodies have classified Di-n-octyl phthalate (DNOP). The classifications differ — that's the data.

AgencyYearClassificationNotes
US EPA IRIS / ECHA (DNOP — di-n-octyl phthalate — US EPA IRIS chronic oral RfD 10 mg/kg/day (1987 assessment); anti-androgenic phthalate plasticizer with moderate peroxisome proliferator activity and reproductive toxicity in high-dose rodent studies; not on ECHA SVHC candidate list as individual compound; not classified for carcinogenicity by IARC, NTP, EFSA, or US EPA; high-molecular-weight phthalate with lower reproductive toxicity potency than DEHP, DBP, or BBP; used in PVC wire insulation, flooring, and automotive applications)2019no carcinogenicity classification; US EPA chronic oral RfD 10 mg/kg/day; anti-androgenic phthalate; lower reproductive toxicity than short-chain phthalates; high-MW PVC plasticizer; not classified by IARC, NTP, EFSA, or US EPA for carcinogenicity
EPA CTX / Genetox—Genotoxicity: negative (Ames: negative, 0 positive / 1 negative reports)
EPA CTX / Genetox—Genotoxicity: negative (Ames: negative, 0 positive / 1 negative reports)

Regulators apply different standards of evidence — animal-data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds — which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. The disagreement is the data.

Where you encounter di-n-octyl phthalate (dnop)

  • Consumer Products — Plastic bottles and containers, Food packaging, Plastic toys and household items
  • Drinking Water — Leaching from plastic pipes, Migration from bottled water containers
  • Indoor Environments — Off-gassing from plastic furniture, Degradation of plastic products

Safer alternatives

Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to Di-n-octyl phthalate (DNOP):

  • Fragrance-free formulations
    Trade-offs: Consumer preference for scented products
    Relative cost: Lower (ingredient elimination)
  • Essential oil-based fragrances (with disclosure)
    Trade-offs: Natural does not mean safe — many essential oils are skin sensitizers
    Relative cost: 2-5× conventional

Frequently asked questions

What products contain di-n-octyl phthalate (dnop)?

Di-n-octyl phthalate (DNOP) appears in: Plastic bottles and containers (Consumer products); Food packaging (Consumer products); Leaching from plastic pipes (Drinking water); Migration from bottled water containers (Drinking water); Off-gassing from plastic furniture (Indoor environments).

Why do regulators disagree about di-n-octyl phthalate (dnop)?

Di-n-octyl phthalate (DNOP) has been classified by 3 agencies including US EPA IRIS / ECHA (DNOP — di-n-octyl phthalate — US EPA IRIS chronic oral RfD 10 mg/kg/day (1987 assessment); anti-androgenic phthalate plasticizer with moderate peroxisome proliferator activity and reproductive toxicity in high-dose rodent studies; not on ECHA SVHC candidate list as individual compound; not classified for carcinogenicity by IARC, NTP, EFSA, or US EPA; high-molecular-weight phthalate with lower reproductive toxicity potency than DEHP, DBP, or BBP; used in PVC wire insulation, flooring, and automotive applications), EPA CTX / Genetox, EPA CTX / Genetox, with differing conclusions. Regulators apply different standards of evidence (animal data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds), which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. See the regulatory consensus table on this page for the full picture.

See Di-n-octyl phthalate (DNOP) in the food app

Look up products containing di-n-octyl phthalate (dnop), compare to alternatives, and explore the full data record.

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Sources (1)
  1. US EPA IRIS DNOP Di-n-Octyl Phthalate Chronic Oral RfD 10 mg/kg/day; Anti-Androgenic Peroxisome Proliferator; Lower Potency Than DEHP DBP; High-MW PVC Plasticizer; No IARC NTP EFSA EPA Carcinogenicity Classification; MOP Biomonitoring Metabolite (2019) — regulatory

Reference data, not professional advice. Aggregates publicly available regulatory and scientific data; not a substitute for veterinary, medical, legal, or regulatory advice. Why we built ALETHEIA →