Rapid mapping of various chemicals in personal care and healthcare products by direct analysis in real time mass spectrometry.

Residual chemicals on personal care and healthcare products, such as sanitary articles, sterile gauze bandages, nappies, plasters, were studied by direct analysis in real time mass spectrometry (DART-MS). We have identified around 40 compounds in seventeen different commercially available items. The tentative identification was further supported for about half of the chemicals by tandem mass spectrometric experiments (DART MS/MS). The most notable hazardous substances were tributyl phosphate, tris(2,4-di-tert-butylphenyl) phosphite, phthalic acid esters, erucamide, and nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs). In addition, we developed an efficient DART-MS analysis to determine the concentration of NPE in a swab sample. The quantitative result obtained by DART-MS was confirmed by liquid chromatography with mass spectrometric detection (LC-MS).

Rapid detection of hazardous chemicals in textiles by direct analysis in real-time mass spectrometry (DART-MS).

Residues of chemicals on clothing products were examined by direct analysis in real-time (DART) mass spectrometry. Our experiments have revealed the presence of more than 40 chemicals in 15 different clothing items. The identification was confirmed by DART tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) experiments for 14 compounds. The most commonly detected hazardous substances were nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs), phthalic acid esters (phthalates), amines released by azo dyes, and quinoline derivates. DART-MS was able to detect NPEs on the skin of the person wearing the clothing item contaminated by NPE residuals. Automated data acquisition and processing method was developed and tested for the recognition of NPE residues thereby reducing the analysis time.