The benefits of sun protection manufactured by the cosmetics industry and used almost daily by millions of people across the world do not exempt this type of product from the possibility of generating some type of health problem. Without doubt, sun protection is fundamental and highly beneficial in avoiding the harmful consequences of ultraviolet radiation (burning, cell ageing or the growth of skin carcinomas). However, the composition of sun protectors is invigilated by health authorities to avoid other types of harm.
Among other limitations, European and American authorities limit the maximum concentration of a very specific component, recently studied by researchers at the University of Cordoba in collaboration with the University of Valencia, to 8%. The component is a filter known as
EDP, associated with hormonal disorders and for which an analysis method has been developed which allows the discovery of more details about the metabolism in vivo (until now it has only been studied at a laboratory level) of EDP. In this way, researchers have developed a simple method that, in an automated way and using mass spectrometry, allows the detection of the presence of EDP and its metabolites in urine, through which 0.5% of the total are eliminated, according to the research study published in the Journal of Chromatography A.
The proven endocrine disruption nature of the sunscreen ingredient 2-ethylhexyl 4-(N,N-dimethylamino)benzoate (EDP) calls for research to understand its distribution and bioaccumulation in the human body.
The method was satisfactorily applied to semen samples from male volunteers who were subjected to single and repeated whole-body applications of an EDP-containing sunscreen product. EDP metabolites were found at different concentrations in semen samples from the repeated application study, thus showing evidences of bioaccumulation in humans.
The 2-Hydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone (HMB), which is one of the most commonly used UV filters in sunscreen cosmetics to protect skin from the deleterious effects of the sun, can be percutaneously absorbed, further metabolized, and finally excreted or bioaccumulated. An analytical method for the sensitive determination of HMB and its three metabolites in both human urine and semen is developed.
The described SPE-LC-MS/MS method was satisfactorily applied to both urine and semen samples from a male volunteer who applied a sunscreen cosmetic product containing HMB. HMB and its metabolites were found and quantified in the low ng mL(-1) range in both urine and semen samples, although at a different extent.
For more information
Universidad de Córdoba
Bioaccumulation assessment of the sunscreen agent 2-ethylhexyl
4-(N,N-dimethylamino)benzoate in human semen by automated online
SPE-LC-MS/MS.
Solid-phase extraction liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analytical method for the determination of 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone and its metabolites in both human urine and
semen.
Targeting metabolomics analysis of the sunscreen agent 2-ethylhexyl
4-(N,N-dimethylamino)benzoate in human urine by automated on-line solid-phase extraction-liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry with liquid
chromatography-time-of-flight/mass spectrometry
confirmation.
(MDN)
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