Qualitative Analysis of Air Freshener Spray.

Air fresheners contain various chemicals that may or may not be harmful to human health and the environment. These products are widely used in different settings such as homes, schools, offices, and hospitals with ignorance of their real ingredients and their relative health effects. Thus, this preliminary study was carried out to identify the presence of different compounds in spray air fresheners that were not disclosed on the product's label. Four different brands of spray air fresheners were selected randomly from a local store, in which two were of mid-to-high cost and the remaining two of low cost. The samples were analyzed using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry headspace, in which single components of the samples were identified by the mass spectrometry detector. The results were shown as a chromatogram of several peaks, each representing different compounds. The chemicals found in the samples include; lilial, galaxolide, benzenemethanol, musk ketone, butylated hydroxytoluene, and linalool. These chemicals may cause irritation and other health problems. However, none of them were revealed on the product's label. The study concludes that air fresheners need to be free of any toxic or harmful chemicals and include natural ingredients instead.

Cardiac arrest by inhalation of deodorant spray.

Drug abuse by inhalation of volatile household product substances is uncommon, however, it can have devastating consequences. This case report describes the fatal outcome of deodorant inhalation by a 19-year-old patient in a detoxification clinic who developed a cardiac arrest after inhaling butane from a deodorant spray. Despite initial successful resuscitation, he developed a postanoxic encephalopathy with a status epilepticus resistant to extensive treatment. Inhalant abuse can be a cause of death in young patients.

[Cosmetic allergy]. / Alergia na kosmetyki.

Cosmetics are substances or mixtures for an external contact with a human body: their skin, hair, lips, nails, external sex organs, teeth and mucous membranes of an oral cavity. The only or main aim of cosmetics is to keep the body clean, take care of it, protect, perfume as well as groom it. Since the products are supposed to be safe and well-tolerated, they tend to cause side effects, for instance irritation or allergy. This is mainly due to scented substances as well as preservatives which are included in cosmetics.

[Ventricular fibrillation following deodorant spray inhalation]. / Fibrillation ventriculaire par inhalation de spray déodorant.

We report one case of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest with ventricular fibrillation following butane poisoning after inhalation of antiperspiration aerosol. An early management using semi-automatic defibrillator explained the success of the resuscitation. The mechanism of butane toxicity could be an increased sensitivity of cardiac receptors to circulating catecholamines, responsible for cardiac arrest during exercise and for resuscitation difficulties. The indication of epinephrine is discussed.

A comparative human health risk assessment of p-dichlorobenzene-based toilet rimblock products versus fragrance/surfactant-based alternatives.

A comparison of the human health risk to consumers using one of two types of toilet rimblock products, either a p-dichlorobenzene-based rimblock or two newer fragrance/surfactant-based alternatives, was conducted. Rimblock products are designed for global use by consumers worldwide and function by releasing volatile compounds into indoor air with subsequent exposure presumed to be mainly by inhalation of indoor air. Using the THERdbASE exposure model and experimentally determined emission data, indoor air concentrations and daily intake values were determined for both types of rimblock products. Modeled exposure concentrations from a representative p-dichlorobenzene rimblock product are an order of magnitude higher than those from the alternative rimblock products due to its nearly pure composition and high sublimation rate. Lifetime exposure to p-dichlorobenzene or the subset of fragrance components with available RfD values is not expected to lead to non-cancer-based adverse health effects based on the exposure concentrations estimated using the THERdbASE model. A similar comparison of cancer-based effects was not possible as insufficient data were available for the fragrance components.

Application of the risk assessment paradigm to the induction of allergic contact dermatitis.

The National Academy of Science (NAS) risk assessment paradigm has been widely accepted as a framework for estimating risk from exposure to environmental chemicals (NAS, 1983). Within this framework, quantitative risk assessments (QRAs) serve as the cornerstone of health-based exposure limits, and have been used routinely for both cancer and noncancer endpoints. These methods have focused primarily on the extrapolation of data from laboratory animals to establish acceptable levels of exposure for humans. For health effects associated with a threshold, uncertainty and variability inherent in the extrapolation process is generally dealt with by the application of "uncertainty factors (UFs)." The adaptation of QRA methods to address skin sensitization is a natural and desirable extension of current practices. Based on our chemical, cellular and molecular understanding of the induction of allergic contact dermatitis, one can conduct a QRA using established methods of identifying a NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) or other point of departure, and applying appropriate UFs. This paper describes the application of the NAS paradigm to characterize risks from human exposure to skin sensitizers; consequently, this method can also be used to establish an exposure level for skin allergens that does not present an appreciable risk of sensitization.

Evaluación de la toxicidad del desodorante RLV en ojos / Evaluation of RLV deodorant toxicity in eyes

Se realizó la evaluación del posible efecto irritante de un formulado (RLV) que se empleará como desodorante y que contiene como principio activo la hexamina, la cual es empleada como antiséptico urinario. Este formulado se aplicó por vía oftálmica en 6 conejos de la raza Nueva Zelandia, durante 7 días. Las valoraciones se basan en las observaciones macroscópicas de los posibles efectos adversos que se presentan en las estructuras oculares. Para esta evaluación nos basamos en el método propuesto por Draize, así como las guías de la OECD, de acuerdo con los resultados obtenidos la forma farmacéutica elaborada a una concentración del 3 (por ciento) para el desodorante, no ocasiona irritación en las estructuras oculares(AU)

In vitro and human testing strategies for skin irritation.

Prior to the manufacture, transport, and marketing of chemicals or products, it is critical to assess their potential for skin toxicity (corrosion or irritation), thereby protecting the worker and consumer from adverse skin effects due to intended or accidental skin exposure. Traditionally, animal testing procedures have provided the data needed to assess the more severe forms of skin toxicity, and current regulations may require animal test data before permission can be obtained to manufacture, transport, or market chemicals or the products that contain them. In recent years, the use of animals to assess skin safety has been opposed by some as inhumane and unnecessary. The conflicting needs of the industrial toxicologist to (1) protect human safety, (2) comply with regulations, and (3) reduce animal testing have led to major efforts to develop alternative, yet predictive, test methods. A variety of in vitro skin corrosion test methods have been developed and several have successfully passed initial international validation. These have included skin or epidermal equivalent assays that have been shown to distinguish corrosive from noncorrosive chemicals. These skin/epidermal equivalent assays have also been modified and used to assess skin irritation potential relative to existing human exposure test data. The data show a good correlation between in vitro assay data and different types of human skin irritation data for both chemicals and consumer products. The effort to eliminate animal tests has also led to the development of a novel human patch test for assessment of acute skin irritation potential. A case study shows the benefits of in vitro and human skin irritation tests compared to the animal tests they seek to replace, and strategies now exist to adequately assess human skin irritation potential without the need to rely on animal test methods.

[In vivo toxicity, and glutathione, ascorbic acid and copper level changes induced in mouse liver and kidney by copper(II) gluconate, a nutrient supplement].

While copper(II) gluconate (CuGL) is generally used as a nutrient supplement for infant foods and as an oral deodorant, little information is available regarding a toxic effect of CuGL on mammals. In this article, we examined in vivo induction of toxicity and change of level of glutathione and ascorbic acid, major biological antioxidants, lipid peroxide and copper (Cu) in liver and kidney 4 h after single intraperitoneal administration of CuGL at 0.05 and 0.10 mmol/kg to mice. Serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT) activity, an indicator of hepatotoxicity, significantly increased compared to control in proportion to doses of CuGL. Hepatic level of glutathione measured as nonprotein sulfhydryl was not proportional to CuGL doses, but enhanced after dosing of 0.05 mmol/kg and lowered by 0.10 mmol/kg. Like SGPT activity, serum urea nitrogen (SUN) concentration, an indicator of nephrotoxicity, significantly increased in proportion to doses of CuGL. Renal glutathione level was not different from control after dosing of 0.05 mmol/kg and lowered by 0.10 mmol/kg. In both organs, relative organ weight and lipid peroxide level were not affected by the treatment with CuGL; ascorbic acid level was elevated after dosing of 0.05 mmol/kg and was not different from control after treatment with 0.10 mmol/kg; like SGPT activity and SUN concentration, Cu level significantly increased in proportion to doses of CuGL. These results suggest that in the liver and kidney after the treatment with CuGL Cu accumulated may induce toxicity, leading to level changes of glutathione and ascorbic acid and to no induction of oxidative damage.

Toxic effects of air freshener emissions.

To evaluate whether emissions of a commercial air freshener produced acute toxic effects in a mammalian species, the authors allowed male Swiss-Webster mice to breathe the emissions of one commercial-brand solid air freshener for 1 h. Sensory irritation and pulmonary irritation were evaluated with the ASTM-E-981 test. A computerized version of this test measured the duration of the break at the end of inspiration and the duration of the pause at the end of expiration--two parameters subject to alteration via respiratory effects of airborne toxins. Measurements of expiratory flow velocity indicated changes in airflow limitation. The authors then subjected mice to a functional observational battery, the purpose of which was to probe for changes in nervous system function. Emissions of this air freshener at several concentrations (including concentrations to which many individuals are actually exposed) caused increases in sensory and pulmonary irritation, decreases in airflow velocity, and abnormalities of behavior measured by the functional observational battery score. The test atmosphere was subjected to gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy, and the authors noted the presence of chemicals with known irritant and neurotoxic properties. The Material Safety Data Sheet for the air freshener indicated that there was a potential for toxic effects in humans. The air freshener used in the study did not diminish the effect of other pollutants tested in combination. The results demonstrated that the air freshener may have actually exacerbated indoor air pollution via addition of toxic chemicals to the atmosphere.

[Methodical approaches to the assessment of population's domestic exposure to chemicals]. / Metodicheskie podkhody k otsenke bytovoi khimicheskoi nagruzki naseleniia.

The paper deals with the specific action of biocidal agents of household chemistry as part of population's chemical loading. A concept of evaluation of disinfectants on human health was formulated and its guidelines are substantiated. For this, the author proposes to use criteria for membrane damaging and immunodepressive effect based on the non-invasive test-systems to identify the immunometabolic status of the body. He also defines the ways of searching the approaches to identifying a life-threatening abnormality in either prenosological status.

[A hygienic study of new raw materials for cosmetic agents and household chemical preparations]. / Khigienno prouchvane na niakoi novi surovini za kosmetichni sredstva i preparati na bitovata khimiia.

Studies are performed on the new Bulgarian raw materials "Aminookis" (AO) and "Dezodorirashch agent" (DA) the plants "Alen Mak"--Plovdiv and "Hyaluron"--Sofia. Chemical, toxicological and microbiological studies are carried out. Thin-layer chromatographic and spectrophotometric methods for determination of AO, hyaluronic acid and DA are developed and chemical studies on cosmetics, prepared with them, are carried out. During the repetition of a 21-day experiment on guinea pigs the threshold irritative concentrations--10% for AO and DA (as trade products) are determined. This shows that they are moderate contact irritants. The hyaluron has no irritative effect. By maximizing test with guinea pigs is established the absence of contact allergy for DA and AO. At index of sensibilization 10% the hyaluron falls in the group of weak allergens. The spectra of action are studied and the minimum suppressing concentrations of AO and DA are defined. It is established that the most resistant to effect with these cosmetics are the representatives of the families: Pseudomonas, Klebsiella, Escherichia, Salmonella. Recommendations are made to use "Aminookis" (AO) in shampoos to 8%, deodorizing agent in deodorants to 2% and "Hyaluron" in creams to 20% (as trade products).