Benzyl butyl phthalate

Benzylbutylphthalate (BBzP), also called n-butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP) or benzyl butyl phthalate, is a phthalate, an ester of phthalic acid, benzyl alcohol and n-butanol. It comes under trade names e.g. Palatinol BB, Unimoll BB, Sicol 160, or Santicizer 160. It is mostly used as a plasticizer for PVC. It is considered a toxicant.

BBzP is commonly used as a plasticizer for vinyl foams, which are often used as floor tiles. Other uses are in traffic cones, food conveyor belts, and artificial leather.

BBP is classified as toxic by the European Chemical Bureau (ECB) and hence its use in Europe has declined rapidly in the last decade. There are only two producers remaining in the EU.

In 2008 four sellers of BBP were sanctioned by the Belgian Competition Council for participating in a cartel.

Health effects

Canadian Authorities have restricted the usage of phthalates, including BBP, in soft vinyl children's toys and child care articles.

A 2012 study conducted in New York City found that eczema was 52 percent more likely in children whose mothers had been exposed to higher concentrations of butylbenzyl phthalate, compared with those whose mothers had been exposed to lower concentrations. Exposure was measured through urine testing during the third trimester of pregnancy. All but one of the women in the study showed some level of exposure to butylbenzyl phthalate.