Association of bone mineral density with trichlorophenol: a population-based study

Background Trichlorophenols (TCPs) are metabolites of several organochlorine chemicals, including chlorobenzene, hexachlorocyclohexane, and chlorophenoxy acid, present in air, surface water, soil, and sediment. Many studies have shown that endocrine disruptors (EDs)may contribute to decreased bone mass and the increased risk of osteoporosis. However, the relationship between TCP and bone mineral density (BMD) has not been studied yet. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study by using data from the 2005–2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). TCP levels were measured in urine samples from 3385 participants and bone mineral density was obtained by dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) lumbar spine and femur scanning. Multiple regression analysis, stratified analysis, curve fitting analysis, and trend tests were used to assess the relationship between TCP and BMD. Result After adjusting for confounding factors, the results of multiple regression analysis only showed that ln-2,4,5-TCP was negatively associated with BMD of lumbar spine. In stratified analyses, Male, Menstruating Female and Menopausal Female were divided into three groups for analysis. The results showed that ln-2,4,5-TCP and ln-2,4,6-TCP were not statistically associated with BMD in total femur, femoral neck, femoral tuberosity, intertrochanteric femur and lumbar spine, which was also confirmed by curve fitting analyses and trend tests. Conclusion This study demonstrated that 2,4,5-TCP and 2,4,6-TCP in urine samples were not significantly associated with BMD in the US population. Therefore, 2,4,5-TCP and 2,4,6-TCP may not be detrimental to BMD.