Formation and inhibition of N-nitrosodiethanolamine in cosmetics under pH, temperature, and fluorescent, ultraviolet, and visual light.

N-nitrosodiethanolamine (NDELA), a type of nitrosamine, is a possible human carcinogen that may form in cosmetic products. The aim of this study was to examine the formation and inhibition of NDELA through chemical reactions of secondary amines including mono-ethanolamine, di-ethanolamine (DEA), and tri-ethanolamine (TEA), and sodium nitrite (SN) under varying conditions such as pH, temperature, and fluorescent, ultraviolet (UV), and visual light (VIS) using liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy. In a mixture of TEA and SN under acidic conditions pH 2, residual NDELA concentrations rose significantly under various storage conditions in the following order: 50°C > 40°C > UV (2 W/m2) > VIS (4000 lux) > fluorescent light > 25°C > 10°C. In a mixture of DEA and SN under the same acidic pH 2 conditions, NDELA formation was significantly elevated in the following order: UV (2 W/m2) > VIS (4000 lux) > 50°C > 40°C > fluorescent light > 25°C > 10°C. Inhibition of NDELA formation by d-mannitol, vitamin C (Vit C), or vitamin E (Vit E) was determined under varying conditions of pH, temperature, and fluorescent, UV, and VIS. At high concentrations of 100 or 1000 µg/ml, Vit E significantly decreased residual NDELA compared with control levels under acidic pH 2, but not under basic pH 6. Among various antioxidants, Vit E reacted more effectively with many nitrosating agents such as nitrate and nitrite found in cosmetic products. Therefore, to reduce NDELA, it is recommended that cosmetics be stored under cool/amber conditions and that Vit E or Vit C inhibitors of nitrosation be optimally added to cosmetic formulations at concentrations between 100 and 1000 µg/ml.

Radiation sterilization of formoterol.

PURPOSE: Radiation sterilization is becoming increasingly popular for the sterilization of many pharmaceutical products. We have investigated the gamma radiation induced effects on formoterol fumarate by HPLC and ESR spectroscopy. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Numerical simulation of the evolution of the ESR signal versus dose was performed using linear regression, quadratic fit and power function. The shape of the dosimetric curve is linear in the range 5-30 kGy. Owing to the weak number of free radicals generated during the irradiation, the accuracy of measurements is low. For a dose of 25 kGy, discriminating irradiated from unirradiated samples is possible if the storage period is less than 250 days. The comparison between chromatographic profiles of irradiated and unirradiated samples showed minor differences. CONCLUSIONS: From our preliminary results, radiosterilization of formoterol fumarate may be technically feasible. Estimation of the irradiation dose by ESR may be possible but, due to the weak number of free radicals generated during the irradiation, the accuracy of measurements appeared low.