DEHP is everywhere
Everyone is rushing to say this is the greatest indicator since litmus paper. And I agree Alberto's numbers are suspicious if he had a DEHP spike right in the middle of the tour. But WADA or whoever have to be real careful with this. They need some real high thresholds and need to do a baseline at the beginning of any stage race. Maybe start testing the team managers or someone else who hangs out around the riders as a environmental background check, so they don't ban someone because he took a shower in a tub with a new shower curtain. When I do environmental analysis a good portion of my samples have detecable levels of this compound in them. The dang stuff is everywhere. I mean DEHP specifically not just any phthalate. We do see dibutyl phthalate quite a bit too.
Below is a paste off the NIH website. This paste is not just to show where one might get DEHP in the body, but it is what will come out of the mouth of any rider who is told his/her levels are higher than they should be.
"You can be exposed to low levels of phthalates through air, water, or food. You can be exposed to phthalates if you use cosmetics, personal care products, cleaning products, or other plastic and vinyl products that contain them.
Exposure to low levels of phthalates may come from eating food packaged in plastic that contains phthalates, or breathing dust in rooms with vinyl miniblinds, wallpaper, or recently installed flooring that contain phthalates. You could be exposed by drinking water that contains phthalates, though it is not known how common that is.
Children can be exposed to phthalates by chewing on soft vinyl toys or other products made with them. Children can be exposed by breathing household dust that contains phthalates, or using IV tubing or other medical devices made with phthalates.
[and of course here is why we are discussing this subject here]
People at the highest risk of exposure to phthalates are dialysis patients, hemophiliacs, or people who received blood transfusions from sources that use tubing or containers made with phthalates. The Food and Drug Administration has recommended steps to minimize exposure of patients to medical devices that contain phthalates, and alternative devices for certain procedures. Others at high risk are painters, printers, and workers exposed to phthalates during the manufacture, formulation, and processing of plastics.