Determination of cholesterol oxides by gas chromatography-flame ionization detection/mass selective detection and their occurence in lanolin-containing cosmetics and ointments.

OBJECTIVE: Cholesterol oxides (COPs) are thought to be of toxicological relevance in cholesterol-containing foods. For cholesterol-containing cosmetics and the like, no information is available up to this date. Therefore, the first of two main aims of this study was to develop and validate a method for determining COPs in lanolin-containing cosmetics such as lipsticks and fatty creams as well as in nipple ointments. The second aim was to study the occurrence of COPs and their concentration levels in the respective product classes. METHODS: The procedure is based on a published method for food comprising some necessary modifications. Sample preparation consisted of transesterfication, solid-phase extraction and silylation of target compounds. Separation of the derivatized COPs and their quantification were performed with gas chromatography (GC) using a flame ionization detector (FID) or a mass spectrometer (MS). RESULTS: The successful validation and the trouble-free application during the market survey showed that the method was fit for purpose. Total COP levels found were in the low per cent range (up to 3%) and surprisingly high, being many orders of magnitude higher than those published for foods. CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, we present for the first time a method for the determination of COPs in non-food consumer products. Furthermore, our study demonstrates that lanolin-containing cosmetics may be an additional exogenous source of COPs. We further show evidence, that at least part of the COPs are already formed on the sheep's wool.

Mineral oil and synthetic hydrocarbons in cosmetic lip products.

OBJECTIVE: Lipsticks and lip care products may contain saturated hydrocarbons which either stem from mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons (MOSH) or are synthetic, that is polyolefin oligomeric saturated hydrocarbons (POSH). Some of these hydrocarbons are strongly accumulated and form granulomas in human tissues, which prompted Cosmetics Europe (former Colipa) to issue a recommendation for their use in lip care and oral products. From 2012 to 2014, MOSH+POSH were determined in 175 cosmetic lip products taken from the Swiss market in order to estimate their contribution to human exposure. METHODS: Mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons and POSH were extracted and analysed by GC with FID. Areas were integrated as a total as well as by mass ranges with cuts at n-C25 and n-C34 to characterize the molecular mass distribution. RESULTS: About 68% of the products contained at least 5% MOSH+POSH (total concentration). For regular users, these products would be major contributors to their MOSH+POSH exposure. About 31% of the products contained more than 32% MOSH+POSH. Their regular usage would amount in an estimated MOSH+POSH exposure exceeding the highest estimated dietary exposure. The majority of the products contained hydrocarbons with a molecular mass range which was not in line with the recommendations of Cosmetics Europe. CONCLUSIONS: Taking into account that material applied to the lips largely ends up being ingested, MOSH and POSH levels should be reduced in the majority of cosmetic lip products. As the extensive evaluation of the data available on MOSH (EFSA J., 10, 2012, 2704) did not enable the specification of limits considered as safe, the present level of dietary exposure and its evaluation as 'of potential concern' provide the relevant bench mark, which means that lip products should contain clearly less than 5% MOSH+POSH.

Determination of fragrance allergens in cosmetics by size-exclusion chromatography followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

A method using size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was developed for the quantitation of 24 restricted allergenic fragrance compounds in cosmetic samples. To achieve reproducible results fragrance calibration has to be performed with propyl acetate as a solvent containing a constant proportion of matrix components. With the exception of hydroxycitronellal (66+/-5%) all compounds showed good recovery rates in the range of 90-120%. The mean accuracy (relative error) was 1+/-10% for all 24 compounds in five spiked creams (10 mg/kg per allergen) and 8+/-34% in a reference sample (4-15 mg/kg). The biggest benefit compared to other methods is the flexible clean up with SEC which allows the determination of a large range of compounds in difficult matrices with GC-MS.

[Psychological stress in patients with environmentally-induced disorders. A comparison between self concept and expert assessment]. / Seelische Belastung bei Menschen mit umweltbezogenen Störungen Ein Vergleich zwischen Selbstbild und Fremdeinschätzung.

Environmental illnesses raise diagnostic and therapeutic conflicts in scientific discussions and clinical practice. When a patient's health-belief model, based on environmental origins, does not match that of the expert, the therapeutic relationship can be endangered. Our study investigates this discrepancy, which has not been empirically evaluated so far. Patient (n=61) and expert disease concepts were systematically investigated. Our results indicate that in cases in which both concepts are favourable, the patient suffered minor psychiatric disorders with stable psychic structures and the symptoms were associated with medical or environmental causes. If both concepts were unfavourable, a higher proportion of psychiatric disorders with unstable psychic structures were present. In the case of incongruent concepts, the expert evaluations allow a more accurate assessment of the psychiatric diagnoses, psychic states and the psychic attribution of somatic and psychic burden.

Preservation of products with MCI/MI in Switzerland.

Preservation of products with the combination of 5-chloro-2-methyl-4-isothiazolinone (methylchloroisothiazolinone, MCI) and 2-methyl-4-isothiazolinone (methylisothiazolinone, MI), commercialized as Kathon CG or WT, is widely used. Allergic contact dermatitis reactions to the preservative have been described in many publications of epidemiological studies. In addition, a number of allergic, airborne reactions to MCI/MI were observed in recent years. The aim of the presented study was: (i) to compare epidemiological data of MCI/MI with data of other preservatives; (ii) to estimate the possible exposure to MCI/MI from commercial products and the distribution of MCI/MI in chemical products based on a product evaluation of the chemical product register of the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health; (iii) to estimate the exposure to MCI/MI, volatile organic chemicals (VOC) and glycols from freshly painted walls; (iv) to compare the contact allergenic potential of MCI/MI with other preservatives. It was found that the number of registered chemical products, unambiguously identifiable as containing MCI increased from 3644 products in July 1999 to 4843 products in April 2001 in Switzerland. It is estimated that today, the total number of chemical products preserved with MCI/MI on the Swiss market is about 6000. A further increase is to be expected. The contact allergenic potential of MCI/MI seems to be higher than for other preservatives. Measurements of MCI/MI concentrations in air samples of freshly painted rooms have shown that the concentration of MCI/MI in the air a few days after painting may be high enough to elicit airborne reactions in already-sensitized patients. In a single case, reactions to MCI/MI were observed over months after wall painting. In this case, both wall paint and plaster contained MCI (40 and 46 ppm). Volatile organic chemicals (VOC) may also be relevant for the elicitation of airborne reactions. In 1/3 of the measurements, the VOC concentrations measured within 14 days after painting were in a range within which sensory irritation and discomfort may be induced. Declaration of MCI/MI-containing products, replacement of MCI/MI by alternative preservatives or the separate use of preservatives in industrial products and in cosmetics might reduce the risk of airborne reactions.

Airborne contact dermatitis from methylchloroisothiazolinone in wall paint. Abolition of symptoms by chemical allergen inactivation.

Preservatives such as isothiazolinones in paints have been reported to cause airborne contact dermatitis. The patients whom we report experienced acute dermatitis on air-exposed skin and respiratory symptoms after staying in recently painted rooms. Kathon (methylchloroisothiazolinone/methylisothiazolinone) added as preservative to the wall paint was identified as causative agent. In one individual symptoms rapidly disappeared after treatment of the painted walls with inorganic sulfur salt, which leads to inactivation of the allergenic properties of methylchloroisothiazolinone/methylisothiazolinone. We describe the patients, the clinical course and review the literature pertinent to such cases. In addition we report on the chemical analyses of the decorating paints used, and on experiments on emission and air concentration of methylchloroisothiazolinone/methylisothiazolinone from a painted surface before and after inactivation by sodium bisulfite.

Corynebacterium macginleyi has to date been isolated exclusively from conjunctival swabs.

Fifteen strains of Corynebacterium macginleyi were exclusively isolated from conjunctival swabs of patients with either conjunctivitis or corneal ulcers. Up to now, only three C. macginleyi strains had been described in the literature. The characteristics of the 15 patients from whom C. macginleyi was isolated are outlined, characteristics useful for the identification of C. macginleyi are described, and the antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of the species is provided. C. macginleyi is uniformly susceptible to penicillins, quinolones, and aminoglycosides. Although considered to be of rather low pathogenicity C. macginleyi seems to have the potential to cause superinfections in selected patients with ocular surface problems.

Characteristics of Arthrobacter cumminsii, the most frequently encountered Arthrobacter species in human clinical specimens.

During a 2-year period, 10 strains of Arthrobacter cumminsii were isolated in or received by a Swiss routine clinical bacteriology laboratory, and 5 further isolates were referred to a Swedish bacteriology reference center over a 5-year period, making A. cumminsii the most frequently encountered Arthrobacter species in these two laboratories. The present report outlines the clinical features of the 15 A. cumminsii strains and presents an extended biochemical characterization of this microorganism. A. cumminsii exhibits a unique cellular fatty acid pattern with the consistent presence of C14:0i and C14:0 fatty acids as well as relatively large amounts of C16:0i and C16:0 fatty acids usually not seen in other Arthrobacter spp. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was found to be a useful tool for confirmation of the identification of A. cumminsii. The MICs of 39 antimicrobial agents were determined, and it was demonstrated that aminoglycosides and quinolones had only weak activities against A. cumminsii strains, in contrast to their activities against most other coryneform bacteria. As a result of the extended characterization of A. cumminsii, an emended description of this species is presented. Due to the lack of A. cumminsii in established identification systems, it is most likely that this species is underdiagnosed in many routine clinical bacteriology laboratories.

Determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and substitutes (nitro-, Oxy-PAHs) in urban soil and airborne particulate by GC-MS and NCI-MS/MS.

A method involving high resolution gas chromatography combined with ion trap (HRGC-MS/MS) and negative chemical ionisation (NCI) was developed for the determination of nitrated or oxygenated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (nitro-PAHs, oxy-PAHs) and other electrophilic substitutes in soil samples. Efficient clean-up was achieved by a combination of methods for the determination of PAHs in soil and nitro-PAHs in aerosol using solid phase extraction (SPE) and semipreparative high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). In samples of surface soil from the city of Basle (Switzerland), nitro-PAHs (mainly 3-nitrofluoranthene and 1-nitropyrene) were found in concentrations between 30 and 800 ng/kg dry weight. Oxy-PAHs and parent PAHs revealed 10(2)-10(4)-fold higher levels. Nitro-PAHs which are up to 10(5) times more mutagenic seem to be less persistent in soil than the parent forms, although their entire mutagenic potential has to be estimated as being on the same order of magnitude. In urban air particulate matter, the amounts of nitro-PAHs (2-62 pg/m(3)) were 10-100 times lower than oxy-PAHs and parent PAHs which were both found in a similar range. 3-nitrobenzanthrone, a recently described suspected human carcinogen has not yet been detected. Using multivariate statistical analysis, it was possible to elucidate similarities or special characteristics of substances in a given matrix reflecting their chemical properties or specific emission sources.

Monitoring polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metals in urban soil, compost and vegetation.

Samples of urban surface soil, composts, leaves from avenue limetrees and grass from park areas of the city of Basel (Switzerland) were analysed for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metals. Generally, significant lower levels of PAHs (10 times lower) and heavy metals (3-70 times lower) were found in vegetation samples than in composts or soils. The concentrations of PAHs in soil and compost samples were in the same order of magnitude although 10-100-times higher in comparison to data given for rural soils in other studies, whereas heavy metal contents in urban soils and composts were 2-3 times higher than in rural samples. Using multivariate statistical analysis, it was possible to define similarities or special characteristics of single substances or substance groups in a given matrix reflecting their chemical properties and providing information on their specific emission sources.