Evaluation of the content--containing interaction in cosmetic products using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

Migration Studies and Endocrine Disrupting Activities: Chemical Safety of Cosmetic Plastic Packaging

The endocrine activity and endocrine disruptor (ED) chemical profiles of eleven plastic packaging materials covering five major polymer types (3PET, 1HDPE, 4LDPE, 2 PP, and 1SAN) were investigated using in vitro cell-based reporter-gene assays and a non-targeted chemical analysis using gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS). To mimic cosmetic contact, six simulants (acidic, alkaline, neutral water, ethanol 30%, glycerin, and paraffin) were used in migration assays performed by filling the packaging with simulant. After 1 month at 50 °C, simulants were concentrated by Solid Phase Extraction (SPE) or Liquid-Liquid Extraction (LLE). The migration profiles of seven major endocrine disrupting chemicals detected from GC-MS in the different materials and simulants were compared with Estrogen Receptor (ER) and Androgen Receptor (AR) activities. With low extraction of ED chemicals in aqueous simulants, no endocrine activities were recorded in the leachates. Paraffin was shown to be the most extracting simulant of antiandrogenic chemicals, while glycerin has estrogenic activities. Overall, ED chemical migration in paraffin was correlated with hormonal activity. The NIAS 2,4-di-tert-butyl phenol and 7,9-di-tert-butyl1-oxaspiro (4,5) deca-6,9-diene-2,8-dione were two major ED chemicals present in all polymers (principally in PP and PE) and in the highest quantity in paraffin simulant. The use of glycerin and liquid paraffin as cosmetic product simulants was demonstrated to be relevant and complementary for the safety assessment of released compounds with endocrine activities in this integrated strategy combining bioassays and analytical chemistry approaches.

Identification of Potential Extractablesand Leachables in Cosmetic Plastic Packagingby Microchambers-Thermal Extraction and Pyrolysis-Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

Most container-content interaction studies are carried out through migration tests on end products or simulants involving generally toxic solvents. This study was conducted with the aim of identifying potential leachables from materials used in cosmetic plastic packaging by using two approaches based on solvent-free extraction, i.e., solid-phase microextraction sampling and pyrolyzer/thermal desorption coupled with gas chromatography mass spectrometry. Volatile and semi-volatile intentionally and non-intentionally added substances were detected in seven packaging samples made of polypropylene, polyethylene, and styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer. Thirty-five compounds related to the polymers industry or packaging industry were identified, among them phthalates, alkanes, styrene, and cyanide derivates including degradation products, impurities, additives, plasticizers, and monomers. All except eight belong to the Cramer class I. These thermodesorption techniques are complementary to those used for migration tests.

The EuroMix human biomonitoring study: Source-to-dose modeling of cumulative and aggregate exposure for the bisphenols BPA, BPS, and BPF and comparison with measured urinary levels

BACKGROUND

Bisphenol A (BPA) and, with increasing occurrence, its analogs bisphenol S (BPS) and bisphenol F (BPF) are applied in many consumer products, leading to humans being exposed from a vast number of sources and via several routes. Estrogenic and anti-androgenic effects are exerted by the chemical BPA, and also by its analogs. Therefore, realistic exposure assessments are needed for assessing risks related to cumulative exposure.

OBJECTIVES

Biomonitoring for BPA, BPS, and BPF was conducted in a human study embedded in the EU project EuroMix and the measured urinary concentrations were compared to source-to-dose calculations for source allocation and plausibility test of the model.

METHODS

For two 24-hour study periods separated by 2-3 weeks, 144 adult volunteers in Norway kept detailed diaries on food consumption, personal care product (PCP) use, and thermal paper (TP) handling. Concurrently, 24 h urine was collected and urinary levels of BPA, BPS, and BPF were analyzed using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS-MS). In line with the information obtained from the first study day, bisphenol exposure from food, PCPs, TP, and dust was modeled primarily individual-based with probabilistic models. Estimates for BP excretion over 24 h were obtained with the models and compared to measured amounts.

RESULTS

Modeled aggregate internal exposures covered the full range of measured urinary amounts for all BP analogs. In general, individual-based medians of modeled BPA exposures were in good agreement with the measurements, but individual-specific correlation was lacking. Modeled exposures mostly underestimated BPS and BPF levels in participants with positive measurements (53% and 8%), except for the P95 values of modeled BPS exposure that were higher than measured amounts if TP was handled. Most likely, diet and TP were the sources contributing the most to BP exposure in this study. Urinary measurements did not reveal a significant correlation between the amounts of canned food consumed, the number of PCPs used, or the number of TP handling events and levels of BPA, BPS, or BPF.

CONCLUSIONS

The good agreement between the ranges of modeled BPA exposure and measured BPA amounts indicates that available concentrations, especially from the main exposure source food, mirror the exposure situation realistically, and suggests that the exposure model considers the relevant exposure sources. The lack of individual-specific correlations means that the individual measured amounts and modeled exposures did not vary in parallel, e.g. due to mismatch of BP concentrations in food, TP, and other sources, or delayed internal exposure. The underestimation of modeled BPS and BPF exposure suggests that not all relevant sources were included in the respective exposure models. This could be due to a lack of input data, e.g. for food items, or due to an increased replacement of BPA with structural analogs compared to the used concentration and occurrence data.

Optimization of the method of the content-containing interaction evaluation for cosmetic products by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

In July 2013, the European Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 came into effect in order to secure cosmetic products. The content-containing interaction between the packaging and the product must be considered for the safety assessment. Indeed, some compounds are able to migrate from the packaging to the product and may be harmful to the consumer health. This is why a first test was established by EXPERTOX laboratory in 2012 to deal with this new regulation. A new analytical method was developed and validated for the quantification of 23 substances able to migrate from the packaging to the product. It was applied on a plastic packaging with the five simulants of migration. To evaluate the content-containing interaction, a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method was developed and validated. Liquid-liquid extraction was used to extract contaminants (thirteen phthalates and ten substances of very high concern) from migration simulants. Calibration curves showed good linearity regression from 2 to 50 μg mL-1 for nineteen molecules and from 5 to 45 μg mL-1 for the others. The limits of quantification were respectively 2 and 5 μg mL-1 . The accuracy, precision, repeatability of the analytical method and extraction yields were acceptable. No molecule was found in simulants of migration, so the potential contaminants present in the packaging did not migrate. A gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method and liquid-liquid extraction were validated for 23 molecules and can be used for the evaluation of the content-containing interaction of cosmetic products. Both quantification and extraction procedures are more robust and faster than previous method.