Extract from “Countries Of The World France”, Written by Roseline Ngcheong-Lum. Times Edition Pte Ltd. Singapore, 1999.

Amazon eBay: CHEMICALS IN PERFUMES: A HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN Two groups of hazardous or potentially hazardous chemicals commonly used in perfumes and other personal care products are phthalate esters, commonly known as phthalates, and synthetic (artificial or man-made) musks. As a consequence of the extensive and high-volume use of these chemicals in products, they have become widely distributed through both the natural and the urban environment.The ubiquitous presence of synthetic musks and phthalates in the environment and in consumer products, many of which are very slow to break down, results in continuous background exposures with unknown long-term consequences. At the same time, personal care products that we apply to our skin, including perfumes, provide a direct route of repeated exposure to relatively concentrated doses and may be expected to contribute substantially to our overall exposure to these chemicals. Although data remain limited, there is evidence to suggest that the phthalates and synthetic musks in common use may present us with diverse health and environmental hazards. New evidence is emerging all the time. Further details of the properties and hazards of these chemicals are provided in the text boxes below. DIETHYL PHTHALATE (DEP) AND OTHER PHTHALATE ESTERS Diethyl phthalate (DEP) is one of many phthalate esters in common use. It is used in particular in a wide range of cosmetic and other personal care products, primarily as a solvent and vehicle for fragrances and other cosmetic ingredients and as an alcohol denaturant [making the alcohol unfit to drink] (SCCNFP 2003). Although DEP has generally been considered as having a low overall toxicity and does not appear to exhibit the same level of reproductive toxicity displayed by certain other phthalates (notably DEHP), newly emerging evidence raises significant concerns regarding its safety. Given their widespread use in consumer goods, exposure to phthalates can occur through a variety of routes (Koo et al. 2002, Fromme et al. 2004). Since DEP is an ingredient of perfumes and other personal care products, it appears that inhalation may be a significant route of exposure (Adibi et al. 2003). Absorption through the skin is also likely to be a contributory factor. Although DEP is rapidly metabolised in the human body to its monoester form (MEP) and does not appear to accumulate in tissues, it is clear that when applied to the skin DEP rapidly penetrates it and becomes widely distributed around the body following each exposure (WHO 2003). MEP has been reported at up to 30 times higher concentrations in human urine than metabolites of any other phthalate ester (Duty et al. 2003). One study (Silva et al. 2004) has recently shown that, whereas levels of certain other phthalate metabolites excreted in the urine are generally higher in children than in adults, levels of MEP are commonly twice as high in young adults as they are in children, with the highest levels of all in women, possibly reflecting differences in frequency of use of personal care products, such as hair care products, cosmetics and perfumes. The long-term effects of such repeated direct exposure to DEP are not well understood. However, some recent evidence indicates that changes to the DNA of sperm cells are more prevalent in individuals who also show high levels of MEP in their urine (Duty et al. 2003); further studies are necessary to determine if there is a causal relationship. More recently still, research has identified a possible link between exposure to two phthalate metabolites, namely MEP and MBP (monobutyl phthalate), measured in urine samples, and restricted lung function in adult men (Hoppin et al. 2004). A number of other phthalates identified in the perfume samples, albeit at far lower levels than DEP, are also of toxicological concern. Of particular note are dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), both of which are classified in the EU as toxic to reproduction (Category 2) (EU 2003). AN INVESTIGATION OF CHEMICALS IN 36 EAUX DE TOILETTE AND EAUX DE PARFUM 6 | CHEMICALS IN PERFUME REPORT SYNTHETIC MUSKS Synthetic musks are man-made aromatic compounds that are used in place of more expensive natural musks.They are added to many everyday products, including laundry detergents, air fresheners, hand creams, soaps and perfumes (OSPAR 2004). The term synthetic musks encompasses three broad chemical groups: nitromusks, polycyclic musks and macrocyclic musks. Due to toxicological concerns, nitromusk production has been in decline in Europe for a number of years. Only two nitromusks are of importance today: musk xylene (MX) and musk ketone (MK).These, along with two polycyclic musks, galaxolide (HHCB) and tonalide (AHTN) account for 95% of the European market for synthetic musks (OSPAR 2004). Synthetic musks are environmentally persistent chemicals and, as a consequence of this and their extensive use in products, have become widely distributed in the environment, especially in aquatic and marine systems (Eschke 2004, Leonards and de Boer 2004, Bester et al. 1998) but also in the atmosphere (Peters 2003) and inside buildings (Kallenborn and Gatermann 2004). A study commissioned by Greenpeace Netherlands of chemicals in rainwater within the Netherlands found synthetic musk compounds in virtually all rainwater samples (Peters 2003).While HHCB was found to be distributed fairly evenly, there was a clear peak in levels of AHTN in the centre of the country.This peak coincided with the location of a chemical company that produces synthetic musk compounds. Significantly, the nitromusk musk ambrette (MA), which has been banned in the EU since 1995, was found at 34% of the rainwater collection points, suggesting long-term environmental persistence. Synthetic musks can concentrate in living tissues; indeed, musks used in perfumes have also been found contaminating human blood and breast milk (Rimkus and Wolf 1996, Peters 2004).There is increasing evidence emerging that some nitromusks and polycyclic musks, including those commonly used in perfumes, may be capable (either as parent compounds or as metabolites) of interfering with hormone communication systems in fish (Schreurs et al. 2004), amphibians (Dietrich and Hitzfeld 2004) and mammals (Bitsch et al. 2002, Schreurs et al. 2002), and may exacerbate the effects of exposure to other toxic chemicals (Smital et al. 2004).