The regulations relating to cosmetic products give no limit values for toxic elements such as metals or arsenic occurring as impurities in cosmetic products. The present study of metals (lead, cobalt, nickel, chromium) and arsenic in eye shadows in 88 colors of 25 brands and 49 products provides a basis for assessing the safety of eye shadow. 66 out of 88 (75%) of the colors contained more than 5 ppm of at least one of the elements, and all 49 products contained more than one 1 ppm of at least 1 of the elements. In one color, the amount of all elements was less than 1 ppm. The highest levels of cobalt and nickel were 41 and 49 ppm, respectively. These levels were high enough to cause allergic symptoms in those previously sensitized. Furthermore, long-term exposure to such levels may probably sensitize. The concentrations of arsenic were extremely low, 2.3 ppm at most. The level of lead was less than 20 ppm in all products. Accordingly, the concentrations of arsenic and lead seemed to be safe. 9 colors had concentrations of water-soluble chromium exceeding 2 ppm, and a very high level, 318 ppm, was encountered in 1 case. The overall results indicate that eye-shadows probably have no significant systemic toxicological effects. The groups at greatest risk are those already sensitized to the allergenic elements. Such consumers will have difficulties in choosing suitable products, since these elements in the form of impurities are not declared in the list of ingredients. Manufacturers should demand certification that the raw materials they buy contain no toxic elements. Although some of the products studied were acceptable, many had excessive levels of the elements from the consumer's viewpoint.

The water from some drilled wells in southwest Finland contains high arsenic concentrations (min-max: 17-980 microg/L). We analyzed inorganic arsenic (As-i) and organic arsenic (monomethylarsonate [MMA] and dimethylarsinate [DMA]) species in urine and conducted a clinical examination of current users (n = 35) and ex-users (n = 12) of such wells. Ex-users had ceased to use the water from the wells 2-4 months previously. Urinary arsenic species were also analyzed from persons whose drinking water contained less than 1 microg/L of arsenic (controls, n = 9). The geometric means of the concentrations of total arsenic in urine were 58 microg/L for current users, 17 microg/L for ex-users, and 5 microg/L for controls. The excreted arsenic was associated with the calculated arsenic doses, and on average 63% of the ingested arsenic dose was excreted in urine. The ratios of MMA/DMA and As-i/As-tot (As-tot = As-i + MMA + DMA) in urine tended to be lower among the current users and in the higher exposure levels than in controls, suggesting that As-i was better methylated in current users. However, the differences were mainly explained by age; older persons were better methylators of inorganic arsenic than younger individuals. The arsenic content of hair correlated well with the past and chronic arsenic exposure; an increase of 10 microg/L in the arsenic concentration of the drinking water or an increase of 10-20 microg/day of the arsenic exposure corresponded to a 0.1 mg/kg increase in hair arsenic. The individuals were interviewed and complained of muscle cramps, mainly in the legs, and this was associated with elevated arsenic exposure. The present study demonstrates that arsenic methylation has no threshold at these exposure levels.

No abstract

In studies on arsenic exposure and its monitoring, a method for the selective determination of trivalent and pentavalent inorganic arsenic, monomethylarsonic acid (MMA) and dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) in urine was developed. The method is based on the ion-pair chromatographic separation of arsenic species and continuous hydride generation for the determination of arsenic in the chromatographic effluent by atomic absorption spectrometry. The chromatographic separation was completed within 4 min by using tetrabutylammonium ion in phosphate buffer as the ion-pairing agent and a C,* reversed-phase column. The detection limits were 1 .O, 1.6, 1.2 and 4.7 pg dm-3 of arsenic for Ast11, AsV, MMA and DMA, respectively. These detection limits are not low enough to detect the lowest levels of these arsenic species in the urine of unexposed subjects. However, accurate measurement of the concentrations due to occupational exposure is easily achieved.

No abstract