The Occurrence of Dibutyl Phthalate in American Cockroaches

Abstract
The presence of dibutyl phthalate in the American cockroach, Periplaneta americana (L.), was determined by means of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Each roach contained approximately 1.75 ppm of this compound. Since no source could be found in the rearing laboratories and since steps were taken to prevent contamination during laboratory processing, dibutyl phthalate apparently occurs naturally in the American cockroach.