Evaluation of exposure to parabens in Iranian women and its association with personal care products using behavior

Abstract

Parabens are widely used in personal care products (PCPs) as antimicrobial factors due to their biocide property. These compounds have estrogenic activities and act as endocrine disruptors against biological systems. This study aimed to measure the urinary concentration of methylparaben (MP), ethylparaben (EP), propylparaben (PP), and butylparaben (BP), and to evaluate their association with the application of 19 PCPs among Iranian women. Parabens' detection frequency was 86–100%, and their median concentration was 8.53–93.4 μg/L, representing wide exposure of participants to parabens. The highest daily intake (DI) was related to MP (median = 13.4 μg/kg-BW/day); however, it was lower than the acceptable daily intake (ADI). The difference in the level of parabens between three groups of PCPs users (low, moderate, and high) was significant (P < 0.05). So, the parabens' level of exposure in Iranian women has been associated with their PCPs using habits, and the levels of urinary parabens were different based on the type of used products. For instance, the concentration was higher among the users of lotion (13–78%), makeup base (41–74%), sunscreen (34–71%), body wash (57–87%), and deodorants (58–61%). These findings can be used in future risk assessment studies and in the strategic planning for elimination of exposure in the Iranian population.