Evaluation of allergenic metals and other trace elements in personal care products

Abstract EN

In this work, a total of 135 personal care product samples that belong to seven different classes (Creams for face, body, and hands, Dried powder for face, Body lotion, Skin whitening creams, Sunscreens, Dead Sea black mud cosmetics, Lipsticks, and Eye shadows) were analyzed for their contents of 11 elements (Fe, Mn, Co, Cu, Cr, Ni, Zn, Se, Sr, Ba and Bi).

The analysis has been conducted using ICP-AEOS following combinations of acid digestion.

The mean concentrations of these elements in ppm (μg g-1) were found to be in the following order : Fe (5.39×103) > Zn (4.92 × 103) > Mn (260.) > Ba (227) > Sr (103) > Bi (88.5) > Cu (58.6) > Cr (3.92) > Se (3.03) > Ni (2.49) > Co (0.520).

These values are not expected to be toxic to humans.

However, exposure over long periods might cause accumulation of the elements in the body and even at low concentration some metals could initiate allergic reactions.

Among the known allergenic metals (Cu, Cr, Ni, and Co) Cu was detected in all the analyzed samples (100 %) and Ni was detected in 92% of the samples.

Of the 135 samples tested, 14.1 % contained all four allergenic metals, and 14.8 % contained both Co and Cr, which are known to work synergistically to cause allergy.

At the above levels, these products are not expected to cause significant allergic effects.