Presence of benzo[ a]pyrene and other polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in suntan oils

Abstract

Column and thin-layer chromatography followed by spectrophotofluorometry were used to determine the carcinogen benzo[ a]pyrene and other polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in commercial samples of four suntan oils based on mineral and/or vegetable oils liable to contain traces of PAH. The analyses showed that all the samples contained benzo[ a]pyrene together with three other mutagenic, co-carcinogenic or non-carcinogenic PAH (perylene, fluoranthene and benzo[ k]fluoranthene). One sample also contained the carcinogen anthanthrene. The total PAH content of the samples varied from 88·5 to 188·7 ng/g while benzo[ a]pyrene levels were in the 1·5–45·7 ng/g range. The results suggest that users of suntan oils may be exposed to low levels of potentially hazardous PAH; however, in comparison with many other cosmetics that are presumably based on similar oils, suntan oils are only used intermittently and for relatively short periods.