Elevated Concentrations of Bisphenols, Benzophenones, and Antimicrobials in Pantyhose Collected from Six Countries

Abstract

Pantyhose, a skin-tight item of clothing made of synthetic fibers and worn by women in many countries, is a source of exposure to several endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Little is known regarding the occurrence of and dermal exposure to chemicals present in pantyhose. In this study, concentrations and profiles of 23 endocrine-disrupting chemicals, including bisphenols, benzophenones, chlorophenols, parabens, and triclocarban (TCC), were determined in 74 pantyhose samples collected from 6 countries. Pantyhose samples were analyzed by two extraction methods: complete dissolution and ultrasonic extraction. Dissolution of the fabric in 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propanol/chloroform yielded concentrations of several target chemicals that were up to 286 times higher than in the ultrasonic extraction. Bisphenol S (BPS) and bisphenol A (BPA) were found in 100% and 96% of the samples at median concentrations of 1430 and 14.3 ng/g, respectively. Several brands of pantyhose contained BPS, bisphenol F (BPF), benzophenone-1 (BP-1), ethyl-paraben (EtP), and TCC at concentrations of milligrams per gram. Benzophenone-3 (BP-3), 4-hydroxy benzoic acid (4-HB), and methyl- (MeP) and propyl-parabens (PrP) were found in ≥85% of the samples at median concentrations on the order of several tens to hundreds of nanograms per gram of fabric. Pantyhose made in Japan and China with 21-50% Spandex contained the highest concentrations of BPS (2.2 mg/g), BP-1 (2.4 mg/g), and EtP (88 μg/g). Calculated dermal exposure doses to BPS, BP-1, and EtP by women via pantyhose were as high as 45 900, 50 600, and 1800 picograms per kilogram of body weight per day, respectively.

Critical Analysis of Human Exposure to Bisphenol A and Its Novel Implications on Renal, Cardiovascular and Hypertensive Diseases

“…BPA is a phenolic compound widely distributed due to its multiple uses as an additive and plasticizer in plastic polymers' manufacture [1]. This compound can be found in various everyday items, such as food containers, toys, dental supplies, electronic devices, and even clothing [2][3][4][5][6].…”

Association of Urinary Levels of Bisphenols A, F, and S with Endometriosis Risk: Preliminary Results of the EndEA Study

“…An enzymatic solution of β-glucuronidase/sulfatase was prepared daily, dissolving 10 mg of β-glucuronidase/sulfatase (3 106 U g solid 1) in 15 mL of 1M ammonium acetate/acetic acid buffer solution (pH 5.0). Each sample was enriched with 50 µL of enzyme solution to determine the total amounts (free and conjugated) of BPA, BPF, and BPS in urine and incubated for 24 h at 37 • C. Samples were then placed in 15 mL glass tubes, followed by the addition of 20 µL of standard replacement solution (5 mg/L of EP− 13 C 6 , 2 mg/L of BPA-D 16 , and 2 mg/L of BP-d 10 ) and dilution with 10 mL of 10% aqueous NaCl solution (pH 2.0, adjusted with 0.5 M HCl). Samples were then mixed with 0.5 mL acetone (dispersing solvent) and 1.0 mL trichloromethane (extraction solvent), manually shaken for 30 s, and centrifuged for 10 min at 2600× g. The entire volume of the sedimented phase was transferred to a glass vial using a 1.0 mL pipette, and the organic phase was of 13 evaporated under a nitrogen stream.…”

“…The global volume of BPA consumption was estimated at 7.7 million metric tons in 2015 and is expected to reach 10.6 million metric tons in 2022 [11]. The leaching of BPA from these materials into food is considered mainly responsible for human exposure to BPA [12], although there have been recent reports on exposure from other sources, including personal care products [13], clothes [14][15][16], and thermal paper [17]. It is suspected that human exposure to BPA may be associated with the development of estrogen-dependent diseases, given its xenoestrogenic properties [18,19].…”

Influence of Vegetarian Dietary Intervention on Urinary Paraben Concentrations: A Pilot Study with ‘Temple Stay’ Participants

“…Details about this population and the temple stay program have been reported elsewhere [29]. Along with four parabens, two benzophenones, that is, benzophenone-3 (BP-3) and its major metabolite, benzophenone-1 (BP-1), were measured in the urine samples, because benzophenones are expected to be more exclusively used in personal care products than in dietary items [30,31]. The results of this study are expected to improve current understanding of the dietary contribution to the paraben exposure among Koreans, and to help develop an appropriate exposure mitigation program.…”