Levels of synthetic musk fragrances in human milk from three cities in the Yangtze River Delta in Eastern China

Synthetic Musk Compounds in Human Biological Matrices: Analytical Methods and Occurrence-A Review

Extensive use of synthetic musk compounds (SMs) in numerous consumer and personal care products has resulted in direct human exposures via dermal absorption, inhalation of contaminated dust and volatilized fragrances, and oral ingestion of contaminated foods and liquids. SMs and their metabolites are lipophilic, hence commonly detected in various biological matrices such as blood, breast milk, and adipose tissue. Appropriate analytical techniques are needed to detect and quantify SMs in biological matrices to assess their potential effects on human health. Different methods to process and analyze SMs in biological matrices, including sample-pretreatment, solvent extraction, cleanup, and instrumental analysis, are presented in this review. The concentration levels of selected musk compounds in biological samples from different countries/regions are summarized. Finally, research gaps and questions pertaining to the analysis of SMs are identified and suggestions made for future research studies.

Synthetic Musks: A Class of Commercial Fragrance Additives in Personal Care Products (PCPs) Causing Concern as Emerging Contaminants

Synthetic musks (SMs) are promising fragrance additives used in personal care products (PCPs). The widespread presence of SMs in environmental media remains a serious risk because of their harmful effects. Recently, the environmental hazards of SMs have been widely reported in various environmental samples including those from coastal and marine regions. This paper provides a systematic review of SMs, including their classification, synthetic routes, analysis and occurrence in environmental samples, fate and toxicity in the environment, as well as the associated risk assessment and pollution control. Research gaps and future opportunities were also identified with the hope of raising interest in this topic.

Scented traces--Dermal exposure of synthetic musk fragrances in personal care products and environmental input assessment

Synthetic musks are organic compounds used as fragrance and fixative additives in several personal care products. Until now, little is known about their occurrence and distribution in these household commodities. However, this information is essential to perform a human dermal exposure assessment. Therefore, this study gives an overview on the levels of 12 synthetic musks in 140 personal care products from 7 different categories (body and hair wash, toilet soaps, shaving products, dentifrice products, deodorants/antiperspirants, moisturizers and perfumes). They were analysed by QuEChERS extraction followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Detection limits were found between 0.01ngg(-1) (galaxolide) and 5.00ngg(-1) (musk xylene). Higher average concentrations of total synthetic musks were detected in perfumes (5245.05μgg(-1)) and shampoos (487.67μgg(-1)) for adults. Galaxolide, exaltolide and cashmeran were the most detected compounds. Combining these results with the daily usage amounts, an average daily dermal exposure of 75.69μgkgbw(-1)day(-1) for adults and 15.54μgkgbw(-1)day(-1) for babies/children was achieved. The main contributors for adult and babies/children dermal exposure were perfumes and lotions, respectively. About 40% of the adult daily dermal exposure is related to exaltolide, 30% galaxolide, and 15% tonalide, while for babies/children 96% occurs due to exaltolide. An estimate of the amount of musks discharged "down-the-drain" into the wastewater treatment systems through the use of toiletries was also performed. An average emission per capita of 6.7mgday(-1) was determined and galaxolide and exaltolide were the predominant musks in the effluents.

Synthetic musk compounds and benzotriazole ultraviolet stabilizers in breast milk: Occurrence, time-course variation and infant health risk

Synthetic musk compounds (SMCs) and benzotriazole ultraviolet stabilizers (BUVSs) are used as additives in many consumer products. Limited data are available on the accumulation of SMCs in human fluids, and no data are available on BUVSs. In this study, 208 human breast milk samples were collected from 87 participants during the lactation period at <7, 15, 30, and 90 days after delivery in Korea. The total concentrations of SMCs and BUVSs ranged from <LOQ to 1593 (median: 286) ng/g lipid weight and from <LOQ to 2172 (median: 64.7) ng/g lipid weight, respectively. The residue levels of HHCB and AHTN in our samples were the highest, compared to those reported in the US, Europe, and China. The predominant compounds were HHCB and AHTN for SMCs and UV-328 for BUVSs, consistent with consumption patterns of these contaminants. Over the lactation period, no significant changes were found in concentrations of SMCs and BUVSs for both parity groups. Maternal age, body mass index, and parity were not associated with the concentrations of SMCs and BUVSs, while gestational age and delivery mode were associated with these contaminants. The estimated daily intakes of HHCB and AHTN were lower than the provisional tolerable daily intake values, suggesting a limited health risk to Korean infants. This study is the first to comprehensively investigate the current levels, accumulation features, contributing factors of BUVSs associated with breast milk consumption in Korea.

Emerging contaminants of public health significance as water quality indicator compounds in the urban water cycle

The contamination of the urban water cycle (UWC) with a wide array of emerging organic compounds (EOCs) increases with urbanization and population density. To produce drinking water from the UWC requires close examination of their sources, occurrence, pathways, and health effects and the efficacy of wastewater treatment and natural attenuation processes that may occur in surface water bodies and groundwater. This paper researches in details the structure of the UWC and investigates the routes by which the water cycle is increasingly contaminated with compounds generated from various anthropogenic activities. Along with a thorough survey of chemicals representing compound classes such as hormones, antibiotics, surfactants, endocrine disruptors, human and veterinary pharmaceuticals, X-ray contrast media, pesticides and metabolites, disinfection-by-products, algal toxins and taste-and-odor compounds, this paper provides a comprehensive and holistic review of the occurrence, fate, transport and potential health impact of the emerging organic contaminants of the UWC. This study also illustrates the widespread distribution of the emerging organic contaminants in the different aortas of the ecosystem and focuses on future research needs.

Intersex condition and molecular markers of endocrine disruption in relation with burdens of emerging pollutants in thicklip grey mullets (Chelon labrosus) from Basque estuaries (South-East Bay of Biscay)

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) interfere with the functioning of the endocrine system, causing reproductive and developmental disturbances in aquatic wildlife. Appearance of intersex gonads and elevated plasma levels of vitellogenin in male fish are well known biomarkers of exposure to xenoestrogenic EDCs. In the present study, intersex condition and transcription levels of vtg and cyp19a1b were assessed in five thicklip grey mullet populations from the Basque coast (Bay of Biscay). Levels of EDCs (estrogenic hormones, polycyclic musks, bisphenol-A, phthalates, alkylphenols and pesticides) were determined in water and fish bile. Intersex gonads were observed in three out of five mullet populations. Vtg and cyp19a1b were up-regulated in mullet populations with relatively higher EDCs load. Phthalates and pesticides were the most abundant EDCs in bile, followed by alkylphenols, musks, bisphenol-A and estrogenic hormones. Statistically significant correlations were found between concentrations of individual and total EDCs in bile and water samples and transcription levels of vtg and cyp19a1b.

Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs): a review on environmental contamination in China

Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) which contain diverse organic groups, such as antibiotics, hormones, antimicrobial agents, synthetic musks, etc., have raised significant concerns in recently years for their persistent input and potential threat to ecological environment and human health. China is a large country with high production and consumption of PPCPs for its economic development and population growth in recent years. This may result in PPCP contamination in different environmental media of China. This review summarizes the current contamination status of different environment media, including sewage, surface water, sludge, sediments, soil, and wild animals, in China by PPCPs. The human body burden and adverse effects derived from PPCPs are also evaluated. Based on this review, it has been concluded that more contamination information of aquatic environment and wildlife as well as human body burden of PPCPs in different areas of China is urgent. Studies about their environmental behavior and control technologies need to be conducted, and acute and chronic toxicities of different PPCP groups should be investigated for assessing their potential ecological and health risks.

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in human milk: a biomonitoring study in rural areas of Flanders (Belgium)

To collect information on the concentrations of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the rural areas in Flanders (Belgium), 84 breastfeeding mothers were recruited in rural communities in East and West Flanders and Flemish Brabant in 2009-2010. Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners, organochlorine pesticides, brominated flame retardants, perfluorinated compounds, polychlorinated dibenzodioxines and dibenzofurans, and dioxin-like PCBs were measured in individual milk samples and in a pooled milk sample, while some additional pollutants were only measured in the pooled sample. For most pollutants, the concentrations in this study were lower or comparable to the concentrations measured in the pooled Belgian sample of the WHO human milk study of 2006, except for the pesticides dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane DDT (+25% for ΣDDT and metabolites) and trans-nonachlor (+94%), and for the brominated flame retardant hexachlorocyclododecane HBCD (+153%). Perfluorinated compounds were for the first time determined in human milk samples from Belgium and the concentrations were comparable to those from other European countries. Also, interesting associations were found between the concentrations of POPs measured in human milk and personal characteristics as well as dietary habits of the study population. PFOS en PFOA concentrations were significantly higher in milk of primiparous participants compared to mothers who gave birth to their second child. Lower brominated PBDE congeners increased with increasing BMI of the mothers (p=0.01 for BDE 47, p=0.02 for BDE 99 and p=0.02 for BDE 100). Participants consuming milk or dairy products daily had significant higher concentrations of ΣDDTs (p=0.03) and oxychlordane (p=0.047) in their human milk samples.

Musks and organochlorine pesticides in breast milk from Shanghai, China: levels, temporal trends and exposure assessment

The concentrations of musks (polycyclic musks and nitro musks) and traditional organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), including dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane and its metabolites (DDT, DDE, DDD, and total DDTs), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), and hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs) in breast milk collected in Shanghai, China during the period 2006-2010, were determined. The total concentrations ranged from 4.7 to 276.2 (median: 58.4) ng/glipid weight (lw) for musks and from 88.3 to 2532.9 (median: 1003.8) ng/glw for OCPs. 4,4'-DDE (median: 655.4 ng/glw) was the predominant OCP, followed by β-HCH (median: 172.5 ng/g lw), and HHCB (1,3,4,6,7,8-hexahydro-4,6,6,7,8,8-hexamethylcyclopenta[γ]-2-benzopyran) (median: 17.7 ng/g lw) was the dominant musk. There was no statistical correlation between total musk concentrations, and HCB, HCHs, DDTs or total OCP concentrations, indicating their different exposure routes and metabolism in humans (p=0.182-0.325). Clear reductions in temporal trends in the levels of DDTs and HCB, especially HCHs (p<0.01) were observed during the sampling period, and the high DDE/DDT ratios in the samples indicated past exposure to DDTs. The relatively high median concentrations of HHCB and HHCB-lactone in 2010 suggested a probably increasing tendency. There were statistically significant influences regarding maternal age and parity on OCP accumulation (p=0.001-0.002), but no significant effect on musks was found (p=0.542-0.919). Musk exposure in neonates via breast milk was 2-3 orders of magnitude lower than suggested provisional tolerable daily intakes (PTDI). The estimated daily intakes for HCB and DDTs were below the PTDI in Canada, however, 56% of those for HCHs exceeded the Canadian PTDI. OCP contamination of breast milk requires further attention.

Methods for the determination of biomarkers of exposure to emerging pollutants in human specimens

Biomonitoring is a very useful tool for assessing human exposure to environmental pollutants. This review discusses recent methods for the quantitative measurement of biomarkers of exposure to different classes of chemicals used in personal-care products (e.g., musk fragrances, preservatives, UV filters, and insect repellents) and consumer products (e.g., organophosphate flame retardants, phthalate esters, perfluorinated compounds, and industrial phenols). The measurements are mainly taken in urine, blood, and breast milk. We also discuss the different procedures commonly used for sample-pretreatment, extraction, and clean up, and chromatographic techniques currently used to determine these compounds. Finally, we present data on the main biomarkers occurring in different human specimens.

The occurrence of synthetic musks in human breast milk in Sichuan, China

Human breast milk samples collected from mothers (n=110) who lived in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, southwestern China in 2009 were analyzed to determine the concentrations of 13 musk compounds. Possible relationships between musk concentrations and some personal characteristics were also studied. Only five target analytes were detected in the milk samples analyzed, with median concentration values of 16.5, 11.5, 7.85, <1.5 and <1.4ngg(-1)lipid weight for AHTN (7-acetyl-1,1,3,4,4,6-hexamethyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene), HHCB (1,3,4,6,7,8-hexahydro-4,6,6,7,8,8-hexamethylcyclopenta[γ]-2-benzopyran), HHCB-lactone (1,3,4,6,7,8-hexahydro-4,6,6,7,8,8-hexamethylcyclopenta[γ]-2-benzopyran-1-one), OTNE ([1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8-octahydro-2,3,8,8-tetramethylnaphthalen-2yl]ethan-1-one) and musk ketone (4-tert-butyl-2,6-dimethyl-3,5-dinitroacetophenone, MK), respectively. Mothers who reported high use of hand-cleaning agents, body-cleaning agents, shampoo and hair conditioners, hair dyes and hair gels had significantly elevated milk concentrations of HHCB whereas elevated milk concentrations of AHTN were observed among mothers reporting high use of body-cleaning agents, body lotions, shampoos, hair dyes and hair gels. Younger age showed a significantly positive effect on milk concentrations of both HHCB and AHTN whereas BMI after delivery, the number of children nursed and place of residence (urban or rural) had no significant effect. The estimated median daily intakes of synthetic musks for breast-fed infants were considerably lower than the current provisional tolerable daily intake amounts suggested for adults.