Consumer Product Ingredients Research Articles

Application of an in Vitro Assay to Identify Chemicals That Increase Estradiol and Progesterone Synthesis and Are Potential Breast Cancer Risk Factors.

Background:Established breast cancer risk factors, such as hormone replacement therapy and reproductive history, are thought to act by increasing estrogen and progesterone (P4) activity.Objective:We aimed to use in vitro screening data to identify chemicals that increase the synthesis of estradiol (E2) or P4 and evaluate potential risks.Method:Using data from a high-throughput (HT) in vitro steroidogenesis assay developed for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ToxCast program, we identified chemicals that increased estradiol (E2-up) or progesterone (P4-up) in human H295R adrenocortical carcinoma cells. We prioritized chemicals by their activity. We compiled in vivo studies and assessments about carcinogenicity and reproductive/developmental (repro/dev) toxicity. We identified exposure sources and predicted intakes from the U.S. EPA’s ExpoCast.Results:We found 296 chemicals increased E2 (182) or P4 (185), with 71 chemicals increasing both. In vivo data often showed effects consistent with this mechanism. Of the E2- and P4-up chemicals, about 30% were likely repro/dev toxicants or carcinogens, whereas only 5–13% were classified as unlikely. However, most of the chemicals had insufficient in vivo data to evaluate their effects. Of 45 chemicals associated with mammary gland effects, and also tested in the H294R assay, 29 increased E2 or P4, including the well-known mammary carcinogen 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene. E2- and P4-up chemicals include pesticides, consumer product ingredients, food additives, and drinking water contaminants.Discussion:The U.S. EPA’s in vitro screening data identified several hundred chemicals that should be considered as potential risk factors for breast cancer because they increased E2 or P4 synthesis. In vitro data is a helpful addition to current toxicity assessments, which are not sensitive to mammary gland effects. Relevant effects on the mammary gland are often not noticed or are dismissed, including for 2,4-dichlorophenol and cyfluthrin. Fifty-three active E2-up and 59 active P4-up chemicals that are in consumer products, food, pesticides, or drugs have not been evaluated for carcinogenic potential and are priorities for study and exposure reduction. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP8608

A DNA-Based Intelligent Expert System for Personalised Skin-Health Recommendations.

Intensive attention on personalised skin-health solutions is on account of incomparable love of skin and an urgent need for effective treatment. In the meanwhile, people have great expectations on how to utilise genetic knowledge of our body to provide a precise solution for different individuals, such as daily use of skin-health products, since the rapid development of genetic test services and skin-health science. However, the complexity of multi-modal data, the establishment of correlations between consumer genetic data and product ingredients are the main obstacles encountered today. Determining to settle such obstacles, a personalised recommendation expert system for selecting optimised skin-health product within the category based upon genetic phenotypes for each consumer was introduced in this article. Random Forests were implemented to achieve automatic product categorisation, the performance discussed and compared with SVM and Logistic Regression. Lastly, categorised skin-health product suggestion was made with an optimised recommendation model based on associated genetic phenotype information. Potential changes (up to 71.0% more phenotypic relevant ingredients) from experiments using real product data were demonstrated and compared with imitated cases of real-life human selections.

Ten questions concerning air fresheners and indoor built environments

Air fresheners are pervasive within indoor built environments, such as workplaces, schools, housing, transportation, hotels, hospitals, care facilities, and a range of private and public buildings. Air fresheners are designed to impart an aroma to the air environment or to mask odors, with the intent of creating a pleasing indoor space. However, despite the intent, air fresheners can emit and generate a range of potentially hazardous air pollutants that can impair air quality. Even so-called green and organic air fresheners can emit hazardous air pollutants. Air freshener ingredients are largely unknown and undisclosed, owing to regulatory protections on consumer product ingredients and on fragrance formulations. In studies, fewer than ten percent of all volatile ingredients are typically disclosed on air freshener labels or material safety data sheets. From an indoor air quality perspective, air fresheners have been indicated as a primary source of volatile organic compounds within buildings. From a health perspective, air fresheners have been associated with adverse effects, such as migraine headaches, asthma attacks, mucosal symptoms, infant illness, and breathing difficulties. This article investigates the seeming paradox that products designed to improve the indoor environment can pose unintended and unknown risks. It examines the science, health, and policy perspectives, and provides recommendations and research directions.

Determining Synthetic Routes to Consumer Product Ingredients through the Use of Electronic Resources

An activity is described in which students in the first semester of a two semester organic chemistry laboratory class are introduced to the use of SciFinder. Students are required to determine the structures of three compounds as well as additional information regarding the synthesis of one of them using some of the features available in SciFinder.

A tiered asthma hazard characterization and exposure assessment approach for evaluation of consumer product ingredients

Asthma is a complex syndrome with significant consequences for those affected. The number of individuals affected is growing, although the reasons for the increase are uncertain. Ensuring the effective management of potential exposures follows from substantial evidence that exposure to some chemicals can increase the likelihood of asthma responses. We have developed a safety assessment approach tailored to the screening of asthma risks from residential consumer product ingredients as a proactive risk management tool. Several key features of the proposed approach advance the assessment resources often used for asthma issues. First, a quantitative health benchmark for asthma or related endpoints (irritation and sensitization) is provided that extends qualitative hazard classification methods. Second, a parallel structure is employed to include dose-response methods for asthma endpoints and methods for scenario specific exposure estimation. The two parallel tracks are integrated in a risk characterization step. Third, a tiered assessment structure is provided to accommodate different amounts of data for both the dose-response assessment (i.e., use of existing benchmarks, hazard banding, or the threshold of toxicological concern) and exposure estimation (i.e., use of empirical data, model estimates, or exposure categories). Tools building from traditional methods and resources have been adapted to address specific issues pertinent to asthma toxicology (e.g., mode-of-action and dose-response features) and the nature of residential consumer product use scenarios (e.g., product use patterns and exposure durations). A case study for acetic acid as used in various sentinel products and residential cleaning scenarios was developed to test the safety assessment methodology. In particular, the results were used to refine and verify relationships among tiered approaches such that each lower data tier in the approach provides a similar or greater margin of safety for a given scenario.

The probabilistic aggregate consumer exposure model (PACEM): Validation and comparison to a lower-tier assessment for the cyclic siloxane D5

Current practice of chemical risk assessment for consumer product ingredients still rarely exercises the aggregation of multi-source exposure. However, focusing on a single dominant source/pathway combination may lead to a significant underestimation of the risk for substances present in numerous consumer products, which often are used simultaneously. Moreover, in most cases complex multi-route exposure scenarios also need to be accounted for. This paper introduces and evaluates the performance of the Probabilistic Aggregate Consumer Exposure Model (PACEM) applied in the context of a tiered approach to exposure assessment for ingredients in cosmetics and personal care products (C&PCPs) using decamethylcyclopentasiloxane (D5) as a worked example. It is demonstrated that PACEM predicts a more realistic, but still conservative aggregate exposure within the Dutch adult population when compared to a deterministic point estimate obtained in a lower tier screening assessment. An overall validation of PACEM is performed by quantitatively relating and comparing its estimates to currently available human biomonitoring and environmental sampling data. Moderate (by maximum one order of magnitude) overestimation of exposure is observed due to a justified conservatism built into the model structure, resulting in the tool being suitable for risk assessment.

Use of Market Forensics to Estimate the Environmental Load of Ingredients from Consumer Products

Advances in analytical chemistry have led to numerous low-level observations of consumer product ingredients in environmental media. A “market forensics” approach complementary to a typical sampling and analysis campaign is described using readily available product formulation and market sales data to estimate the “down-the-drain” load to a wastewater treatment facility. A case study for common cleaning product ingredients is provided for a site in the USA. A regional per capita daily use rate was derived (0.33 g/ person/day) and applied to the residents resulting in an estimated daily influent load (2 kg). A single product type, liquid laundry detergent, was found to contribute 69% of the load alone.

Use of Consumer Product Ingredients for Patch Testing

Patch testing for suspected sensitivity to cosmetics and other personal care products is usually done by testing with nonirritating products "as is" and by panels of antigens likely to contain causative ingredients. Most allergic reactions are reportedly due to sensitivity to either fragrances or preservatives. Although most preservatives found in patients' products are available for patch testing, only a small number of fragrance ingredients are available, and fragrance components are seldom labeled. Most personal care products contain many other ingredients, and unless the patient reacts to the whole product and the ingredients are obtained from the manufacturer, most of these are seldom tested. To investigate the importance of testing with these other ingredients. Investigators reviewed patch-test records of patients who presented with eruptions compatible with the use of their personal care products and who were tested with available ingredients that were listed on the labels of products they were using. This allowed testing with many ingredients in products that are too irritant for "as is" testing. Some of the results included those of persons who were tested in other series, so these were separated. Of patch tests with 52 cosmetic ingredients also tested in other series, 3.4% produced at least one+or greater reaction. Of those antigens tested only when present in products used by the patient, 55 of the 121 ingredients produced at least one+reaction, and about 3.6% of the test results were positive. Adding ingredients found in the patient's personal care products to patch tests done on those compatible with exposure increases the positive yield in patch testing, and the number of positive results is likely to increase as more ingredients are available for testing.

Use of Consumer Product Ingredients for Patch Testing

Use of Consumer Product Ingredients for Patch Testing

Risk assessment approach for untreated wastewater using the QUAL2E water quality model

This paper presents a novel approach for assessing the risk of consumer product ingredients in surface waters that receive untreated wastewater. The approach utilizes the water quality simulation model QUAL2E for predicting the impact caused by conventional pollutants, as well as the exposure concentration of consumer product ingredients. This approach invokes an impact zone concept whereby the receiving water can be thought of as a natural wastewater treatment system. After the river has recovered via self-purification, the ecosystem is then assessed by traditional risk assessment methods. This approach was validated using data collected from the Balatuin River, which is located in the Philippines. Results from this study support the use of QUAL2E for assessing the risk of consumer product ingredients in riverine systems receiving untreated wastewater.

Investigation of an onsite wastewater treatment system in sandy soil: Modeling the fate of surfactants

Field monitoring data for three common laundry detergent surfactants were used to test the applicability of a mathematical model that was developed as a screening-level tool for predicting the fate and transport of consumer product ingredients in septic systems. This model takes into account the simultaneous effects of sorption and biodegradation on the transport of chemicals through a septic system. Predicted groundwater concentrations of alcohol ethoxylate (AE) and alcohol ethoxy sulfate (AES) surfactants were in excellent agreement with measured values. This good agreement was to some extent due to the fact that the biodegradation rates of AE and AES do not vary significantly as a function of the degree of oxygenation of the soil. However, using laboratory-measured soil biodegradation rates for linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS), the model underpredicted measured LAS concentrations in groundwater downgradient from the drainage field. This underprediction was due to the fact that the groundwater beneath the drainage field was anoxic during certain parts of the year and LAS is not degradable under this condition. Measured LAS concentrations were consistent with an assumed in situ soil biodegradation rate that was lower than the rate measured under fully oxygenated laboratory conditions. A limitation of the model is that only one soil biodegradation rate can be input for the saturated zone, even though biodegradation rates may vary seasonally or with distance from the drainage field. However, the model was appropriate and useful as a screening tool for the sorbable organic compounds studied. The applicability of the model to other classes of compounds should be assessed before broader application.

A comparison of stream biological responses to discharge from wastewater treatment plants in high and low population density areas

The ultimate purpose of this study was to identify broad relationships that may have relevance for the risk assessment of chemicals and materials that are discharged to receiving streams via municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents (e.g., consumer product ingredients). The effects of municipal wastewaters occurring in high population density (>500 persons per square mile, urban) and low population density (<500 persons per square mile, rural) environments were determined via analysis of biological, habitat, and water chemistry data collected both immediately upstream and downstream of 221 WWTPs in Ohio, USA. Several biological and chemistry indicators demonstrated poorer water quality in urban areas compared to rural areas. After considering the effect of river size, adverse effects downstream of WWTPs for both fish and macroinvertebrate communities were clearly identified for only urban areas. These data indicate that WWTP potency may be greater in urban areas compared to rural areas.

A COMPARISON OF STREAM BIOLOGICAL RESPONSES TO DISCHARGE FROM WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS IN HIGH AND LOW POPULATION DENSITY AREAS

The ultimate purpose of this study was to identify broad relationships that may have relevance for the risk assessment of chemicals and materials that are discharged to receiving streams via municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents (e.g., consumer product ingredients). The effects of municipal wastewaters occurring in high population density (>500 persons per square mile, urban) and low population density (<500 persons per square mile, rural) environments were determined via analysis of biological, habitat, and water chemistry data collected both immediately upstream and downstream of 221 WWTPs in Ohio, USA. Several biological and chemistry indicators demonstrated poorer water quality in urban areas compared to rural areas. After considering the effect of river size, adverse effects downstream of WWTPs for both fish and macroinvertebrate communities were clearly identified for only urban areas. These data indicate that WWTP potency may be greater in urban areas compared to rural areas.

Turning over a new leaf. Tobacco.

Anticipating a diminishing market for cigarettes and other tobacco products in the future, researchers around the country are studying alternative uses for tobacco plants. The most promising field of research for tobacco involves the genetic engineering of tobacco plants to produce various substances such as industrial chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and consumer product ingredients. Tobacco has been called the "fruit fly of the plant kingdom" because of the ease with which it can be genetically engineered. There are countless possibilities for the use of tobacco, but current efforts are concentrating on engineering tobacco to produce vaccines, human enzymes, and plastics. Tobacco researchers have been successful in expressing bovine lysozyme, an enzyme with antibacterial properties, and insulin.

A method for evaluating consumer product ingredient contributions to surface and drinking water: Boron as a test case

AbstractBoron is a ubiquitous element that enters surface waters via two main routes, weathering of boron‐containing rock (e.g., borosilicates) and release of boron in cleaning products through disposal to wastewater treatment systems. Recently, concentrations of boron deemed safe for humans and aquatic organisms, via drinking and surface water exposures, have been published. In comparison, however, little has been published regarding the concentrations and distribution of boron in surface waters. This manuscript describes the geographic distribution of boron in the U.S. and California and details a unique method for estimating the amount of boron in receiving waters from consumer product sources using ROUT, a novel deterministic U.S.‐scale surface water modeling system, and the USEPA STORET database. ROUT is a national model that predicts chemical concentrations in U.S. rivers and streams and surface drinking water intakes that receive discharges from publically owned wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Over 500,000 river miles are systematically routed through the 18 major hydrologic regions of the continental U.S., excluding Alaska and Hawaii. A geographic information system interface coupled to ROUT provides a readily interpretable map of the predicted influences of environmental loadings on environmental concentrations. In addition, this capability allows for comparisons of ROUT output versus other water quality databases (i.e., STORET database) that are georeferenced. Further, for consumer product ingredients that are measured in surface waters, it may be possible to estimate the relative contribution of that ingredient in surface waters from consumer use. Concentrations of boron in receiving waters, predicted concentrations from consumer products, and the percentage of boron from consumer products were determined for California and the continental U.S. Over 55,000 records of dissolved boron were found in STORET between 1984 and 1993. At least one record was found in 667 counties in 44 states, most west of the Mississippi River. Based on all measurements, the median and 90th percentile boron concentrations for the U.S. were 0.076 and 0.387 mg B/L, respectively. The percent contribution of boron in surface waters from consumer product use and disposal to WWTPs was found to be dependent on the extent of sewage treatment plant effluent/receiving water dilution and natural background boron levels. Where background boron levels and dilution factors were lowest, the percent consumer‐derived contributions were the greatest.

Right‐to‐know reporting for toxic consumer product ingredients?

Right‐to‐know reporting for toxic consumer product ingredients?

A METHOD FOR EVALUATING CONSUMER PRODUCT INGREDIENT CONTRIBUTIONS TO SURFACE AND DRINKING WATER: BORON AS A TEST CASE

Boron is a ubiquitous element that enters surface waters via two main routes, weathering of boron-containing rock (e.g., borosilicates) and release of boron in cleaning products through disposal to wastewater treatment systems. Recently, concentrations of boron deemed safe for humans and aquatic organisms, via drinking and surface water exposures, have been published. In comparison, however, little has been published regarding the concentrations and distribution of boron in surface waters. This manuscript describes the geographic distribution of boron in the U.S. and California and details a unique method for estimating the amount of boron in receiving waters from consumer product sources using ROUT, a novel deterministic U.S.-scale surface water modeling system, and the USEPA STORET database. ROUT is a national model that predicts chemical concentrations in U.S. rivers and streams and surface drinking water intakes that receive discharges from publically owned wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Over 500,000 river miles are systematically routed through the 18 major hydrologic regions of the continental U.S., excluding Alaska and Hawaii. A geographic information system interface coupled to ROUT provides a readily interpretable map of the predicted influences of environmental loadings on environmental concentrations. In addition, this capability allows for comparisons of ROUT output versus other water quality databases (i.e., STORET database) that are georeferenced. Further, for consumer product ingredients that are measured in surface waters, it may be possible to estimate the relative contribution of that ingredient in surface waters from consumer use. Concentrations of boron in receiving waters, predicted concentrations from consumer products, and the percentage of boron from consumer products were determined for California and the continental U.S. Over 55,000 records of dissolved boron were found in STORET between 1984 and 1993. At least one record was found in 667 counties in 44 states, most west of the Mississippi River. Based on all measurements, the median and 90th percentile boron concentrations for the U.S. were 0.076 and 0.387 mg B/L, respectively. The percent contribution of boron in surface waters from consumer product use and disposal to WWTPs was found to be dependent on the extent of sewage treatment plant effluent/receiving water dilution and natural background boron levels. Where background boron levels and dilution factors were lowest, the percent consumer-derived contributions were the greatest.

Aquatic Fate Assessment for Consumer Product Ingredients in Japan

Aquatic Fate Assessment for Consumer Product Ingredients in Japan