Identification of Phthalate and Alternative Plasticizers, Flame Retardants, and Unreacted Isocyanates in Infant Crib Mattress Covers and Foam

Infants spend most of their time sleeping, where they are in intimate contact with their crib mattresses. In this study, we analyzed the cover and foam layers of 20 new and used crib mattresses for selected chemical additives. Seventeen of the 20 crib mattress covers contained at least one identifiable plasticizer, with concentrations ranging from 1 to >35% by weight. Sixty percent of the covers contained a total plasticizer content of >9% by weight. Nine of the 20 covers contained either bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) or diisononyl phthalate (DINP). In contrast, phthalate alternatives, including diisononyl 1,2-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid (DINCH) and bis(2-ethylhexyl) isophthalate (iso-DEHP), were the most frequently identified plasticizers in crib mattresses manufactured after the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) went into effect. Flame retardants, including pentabromodiphenyl ether (pentaBDE) congeners and triphenyl phosphate (TPP), and unreacted isocyanates (NCO) were also identified in crib mattresses with polyurethane foam.