| Title: | Volatile Organic Compounds in Disposable Diapers and Baby Wipes in the US: A Survey of Products and Health Risks |
| Author(s): | Lin N; Ding N; Meza-Wilson E; Devasurendra AM; Godwin C; Park SK; Batterman S; |
| Address: | "Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States. Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200025, China. Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States. College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States" |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1520-5851 (Electronic) 0013-936X (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "Many thousands of diapers are worn by young children and the elderly, who have thin and sensitive skin that is highly vulnerable to chemicals, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that may be ingredients of these products or present as inadvertent or residual components. The levels and potential health risks of VOCs in diapers have not been reported previously. In this study, we collected 31 disposable hygiene products in the US market based on market share and analyzed 98 target VOCs using purge and trap sampling and thermal desorption/gas chromatography/mass spectrometer analysis. Exposures and risks were modeled using reasonable upper level exposure scenarios. Adult diapers contained the highest total target VOC concentration (median level of 23.5 mug/g), and the predominant VOCs were alkanes. In some diapers, the estimated noncancer risk from these VOCs was sometimes very large (hazard quotient of 1609) due to n-heptane. Baby diapers contained several known or suspected carcinogens, including benzene and 1,4-dioxane, and the lifetime cancer risk from some diapers approached 1 per million under a worst-case scenario. Store-brand products had higher levels of VOCs than generic brands, and products labeled 'organic' or 'for sensitive skin' did not necessarily have lower levels. Our results show that toxic VOCs were found in all tested disposable diapers and wipes at trace levels, and risks from using some diapers in high use exposure scenarios are high enough to warrant additional attention and possibly corrective measures. We recommend eliminating and monitoring toxic ingredients and disclosing all chemicals that may be in these products" |
| Keywords: | "Adult Infant Child Aged Humans Child, Preschool *Volatile Organic Compounds Alkanes Benzene Carcinogens Dioctyl Sulfosuccinic Acid diaper exposure health risk volatile organic compounds wipe;" |
| Notes: | "MedlineLin, Nan Ding, Ning Meza-Wilson, Emily Devasurendra, Amila Manuradha Godwin, Christopher Park, Sung Kyun Batterman, Stuart eng P30 ES017885/ES/NIEHS NIH HHS/ Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't 2023/09/08 Environ Sci Technol. 2023 Sep 19; 57(37):13732-13743. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.3c02862. Epub 2023 Sep 8" |
