Spectrometric analysis of mercury content in 549 skin-lightening products: Is mercury toxicity a hidden global health hazard? - 16/01/14
, Waranya Boonchai, MD b, Liping Wen, MD c, Emi Nishijima Sakanashi, DDS, PhD d, Chia-Yu Chu, MD e, Kylin Hamann f, Curtis P. Hamann, MD g, Kumar Sinniah, PhD f, Dathan Hamann, BA hAbstract |
Background |
Cosmetic skin lightening is practiced worldwide. Mercury is a well-documented melanotoxin added to some lightening products. However, mercury can cause many dermatologic, renal, and neurologic problems. The Food and Drug Administration limits the amount of mercury in cosmetic products to trace amounts, 1 ppm.
Objective |
The objective of this study was to quantitatively evaluate a large international sample of lightening products for mercury content, focusing on products available to US consumers either online or in stores.
Methods |
A total of 549 skin-lightening products, manufactured in 32 countries, were purchased online in the United States, Taiwan, and Japan and in stores in the United States, China, Taiwan, Thailand, Japan, and Sri Lanka. Cosmetics were screened for mercury content above 200 ppm using a low-cost portable x-ray fluorescence spectrometer.
Results |
Of the 549 tested products, 6.0% (n = 33) contained mercury above 1000 ppm. In all, 45% of mercury-containing samples contained mercury in excess of 10,000 ppm. Of lightening products purchased in the United States, 3.3% were found to contain mercury in excess of 1000 ppm.
Limitations |
Our study did not evaluate creams for other melanosuppressive ingredients. Only 1 sample of each product was tested.
Conclusion |
Our study confirms the national and global presence of mercury in skin-lightening products.
Le texte complet de cet article est disponible en PDF.Key words : allergic contact dermatitis, bleaching, consumer safety, melanotoxicity, mercury, mercury toxicity, skin lightening, skin whitening, whitening cream, x-ray fluorescence spectrometry
Abbreviations used : AA, CVAAS, FDA, ICP, XRF
Plan
| Funding for the purchase of lightening products was provided through a grant from SmartPractice. Analytical method development was partially funded by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute through a grant to Calvin College. |
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| Disclosure: Mr Carsten Hamann, Mr Dathan Hamann, and Ms Hamann are first-degree relatives of Dr Curtis Hamann, owner of SmartPractice, a producer of contact allergy diagnostic testing materials. Drs Boonchai, Wen, Sakanashi, Chu, and Sinniah have no conflict of interest to declare. |
Vol 70 - N° 2
P. 281 - février 2014 Retour au numéro
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