Heavy Metal Exposure from Personal Care Products

Abstract

Numerous studies have described human exposure to heavy metals from diverse sources in Nigeria, but little is known about the exposure from personal care products, and few or no report is available on the personal care product concentrations of cadmium, chromium, copper and zinc, which have biotic effects. The levels of these elements were determined in 74 samples of 5 different classes of personal care products commonly used in Nigeria using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Significant levels of Cd, Cr, Cu and Zn were found in all the products. The highest values of Cd (0.553 ppm) and Cu (0.783 ppm) were observed in hair cream, while medicated cream was mostly implicated for Cr (0.383 ppm) and Zn (0.793 ppm). Since no limit relating to cosmetic products is available, it is difficult to ascertain if the values of metals obtained in this study are too high or low; but Cd and Cr are prohibited in any amount in cosmetics. Prolonged use of soaps and creams containing these elements may pose threat to human health and the environment.

Heavy Metals in Lipstick Products Marketed in Saudi Arabia

“…The absorption of toxic metals through dermal contact is scanty, thus little data are known regarding personal care products [14]. Arecent literature survey has been conducted in 2004 in US on the use of lipstick [15].…”

Determination of heavy metals in some cosmetics available in locally markets

“…These metals are not intentionally added to the formulation but are simply impurities in the product and are therefore not required to be listed on the labels. An impurity is a sub-stance not intentionally added to a product, but rather is either a byproduct of the manufacturing process, formed by the breakdown of ingredients, or an environmental contaminant of raw ingredients [19].The latter is the case for heavy metals, as their persistence in the environment and their natural presence in rocks, soil, and water cause them to be present in the manufacture of pigments and other raw materials used in various industries, including cosmetics. Manufacturers are required to take care to remove these impurities, but time is money and since guidelines are so laid-back, only very few manufacturers remove these heavy metals from the final product [20].…”

“…Cancerous breast biopsies show higher accumulations of nickel, chromium, cadmium, mercury and lead than non-cancerous biopsies and several metals act like estrogen in the presence of some breast cancer cells. Lead, which may be an impurity, is a proven neurotoxin linked to learning, language and behavioral problems [14]. It has also been linked to miscarriage, reduced fertility in men and women, hormonal changes, menstrual irregularities and delays in puberty onset in girls.…”

Determination of Heavy Metals in 16 Bleaching Creams and 3 Mixtures of Bleaching Creams from Local Market of Jeddah

“…Further, toxic metals have a role to set up conditions that lead to inflammation in arteries and tissues, results in osteoporosis (14) . Information on the exposure to metal toxins through dermal contact is very scanty, and few data exist on the personal care products (15) . For instance, an increased level of cadmium has been reported to cause inhibition of DNA mismatches.…”