Determination of Selected Phthalates in Some Commercial Cosmetic Products by HPLC-UV.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Bench analytical method development and commercial product testing without human participants (level 5 by design analogy)
PubMed 32603277 · doi:10.2174/1386207323666200630113850
What was done
The authors developed and validated a reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC-UV) method (C18 column, gradient 5 mM KH2PO4 and acetonitrile mobile phase, 230 nm detection, 21-minute run time) to quantify five phthalates: dimethyl phthalate (DMP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP), and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP). The method was applied to screen 48 commercial cosmetic products for adults and babies marketed in Sivas, Turkey, including fragrance, cream, and nail polish formulations.
What was found
The HPLC-UV method showed limits of quantification (LOQ) below 0.64 μg mL⁻¹ for all phthalates, linearity r² ≥ 0.999, accuracy relative error between -6.5% and 6.6%, precision relative standard deviation ≤ 6.2%, and average recovery between 94.8% and 99.6%. Phthalates were detected in 100% of the 48 cosmetic products tested. Diethyl phthalate (DEP) was the most frequently detected overall (79.2% of samples, overall mean 581.7 ± 1405.2 μg mL⁻¹), reaching its highest mean concentration in fragrances (1852.1 ± 2192.0 μg mL⁻¹). DMP peaked in nail polish (340.7 ± 323.7 μg mL⁻¹), and DBP peaked in creams (691.3 ± 1378.5 μg mL⁻¹).
Why it matters
This study provides an accessible, validated HPLC-UV analytical protocol for regulatory screening and demonstrates ubiquitous presence of phthalates across common cosmetic categories in a regional market.
Limits
The sample was restricted to 48 products from a single regional market in Turkey, limiting global generalizability. Specific quantitative concentrations and detection frequencies for BBP and DEHP were not reported in the abstract. Chemical presence in products was measured without assessing human dermal exposure, biological absorption, or clinical toxicity.
Cited by
- supports Phthalates are added to cosmetics and pesticides to increase barrier absorption and are used in fragranced products to retain scent and color.