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Urinary levels of phenolic compounds in women working in beauty salons
Summary
Female beauty salon workers showed significantly elevated urinary levels of BPA, benzophenones, and triclosan compared to a control group, with concentrations rising further after work shifts, indicating occupational dermal and inhalation exposure. This study highlights the role of consumer product chemicals — many of which are plastic additives or co-contaminants — as a direct human exposure pathway relevant to the broader microplastic and chemical pollution burden.
Several researches have reported considerable levels of phnolic compounds (bisphenol A (BPA), benzophenones (BP-1, BP-3) and triclosan (TCS)) in cosmetic/beauty products. However, there is limited data regarding the exposure of female beauticians to harmful substances. The present research aimed to evaluate the exposure of female salon workers to these pollutants by quantifying their urinary levels. To achieve this, 50 female beauticians were selected as the exposed group (EG) and a control group (CG) consisting of 35 housewives. Urine specimens were collected and analyzed by chromatographic techniques to determine the pollutants content. It was found that all pollutants (BPA, BP-1, BP-3 and TCS) were frequently detected in the urine samples of female beauticians. It was also observed that the levels of these contaminants in the samples collected from this occupational group was significantly higher than housewives (Pvalue < 0. 05). The median of urinary BPA, BP-1, BP-3 and TCS concentrations for exposed subjects before the shift were 4.76, 2.57, 2.1 and 8.75 ng/mL, respectively. However, higher levels of these compounds were found in urine samples collected after the shift with medians of 5.25, 3.1, 2.65 and 11.96 ng/mL, respectively. For control group, these records were 1.66, 0.76, 0.22 and 2.12 ng/mL, respectively. Based on multiple linear regression (MLR) test, it was also showed that "cosmetic products usage" and "personal protective equipment (PPE)" are leadings factors contributing to the levels of BPA, BP-1, BP-3 and TCS detected in the urine of the female beauticians. These observations underscore the urgent necessity for more severe regulations and improved safety protocols to minimize exposure to hazardous chemicals in beauty salon settings.