ABSTRACT
Nail polishes have evolved considerably. Toxic elements, such as lead, have been found in nail polish, and it is unclear if new finishes using metallic effect pigments may be contributing to metals exposure in nail technicians. We characterized concentrations of trace elements in 40 nail polishes, 9 technicians' urine, and 20 technicians' toenail clippings from 8 nail salons in the Boston area in 2017. We also collected 24 salon surface wipes from 3 of the salons. Antimony was not disclosed as a nail polish ingredient, yet concentrations (<15 µg/g) were above existing cosmetics guidelines (0.5 µg/g) in five (13%) of the samples. Aluminum (<11,450 µg/g), barium (<11,250 µg/g), iron (<3,270 µg/g), and magnesium (<2375 µg/g) were disclosed as ingredients and were also found on salon surfaces where nail polish was stored or used. Heavy metal impurities in nail polish were not detected for cadmium. Lead and nickel were found at low concentrations (<0.40 µg/g lead, <0.67 µg/g nickel). Tin (p = 0.003) concentrations were higher in nail polish with finishes compared to without. Barium and strontium (both p = 0.0001) concentrations were higher for red nail polishes compared to all other colors. Of those elements in nail polish and salon surfaces, aluminum and iron were detected in toenails, manganese was detected in urine and toenails, and barium was detected in urine at comparable levels to the general population. Besides preventable antimony levels in nail polish, individual metals in nail polish did not appear to be from impurities but mainly from colorants (i.e., pigments) and not major contributors to nail technician exposure. It is unclear if low-level chronic metals mixtures in nail salons are of health concern.
Subject(s)
Metals, Heavy , Trace Elements , Humans , Nails , Pilot Projects , PolandABSTRACT
Relatively little is known about the exposure of nail technicians to semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs) in nail salons. We collected preshift and postshift urine samples and silicone wrist bands (SWBs) worn on lapels and wrists from 10 female nail technicians in the Boston area in 2016-17. We analyzed samples for phthalates, phthalate alternatives, and organophosphate esters (OPEs) or their metabolites. Postshift urine concentrations were generally higher than preshift concentrations for SVOC metabolites; the greatest change was for a metabolite of the phthalate alternative di(2-ethylhexyl) terephthalate (DEHTP): mono(2-ethyl-5-carboxypentyl) terephthalate (MECPTP) more than tripled from 11.7 to 36.6 µg/g creatinine. DEHTP biomarkers were higher in our study participants' postshift urine compared to 2015-2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey females. Urinary MECPTP and another DEHTP metabolite were moderately correlated (r = 0.37-0.60) with DEHTP on the SWBs, suggesting occupation as a source of exposure. Our results suggest that nail technicians are occupationally exposed to certain phthalates, phthalate alternatives, and OPEs, with metabolites of DEHTP showing the largest increase across a work day. The detection of several of these SVOCs on SWBs suggests that they can be used as a tool for examining potential occupational exposures to SVOCs among nail salon workers.
