Health risk assessment of the concentration of trace elements in cosmetic products in Sanandaj, Iran

This study was conducted to determine the concentrations of Ag, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, and Zn in the commonly used cosmetic products such as eyeshadows, eyeliners, and skin whitening creams in markets of Sanandaj city, Iran in 2014. In this study, 60 samples comprising of three different types of eyeshadows, eyeliners, and skin whitening creams were purchased randomly from different cosmetic shops in Sanandaj city. The cosmetic product samples were digested using wet digestion method. Trace elements were assayed using an ICP-OES. According to the results, Ag and Fe were the trace elements with the lowest and highest concentration in the three brands, respectively. Moreover, the results indicated that eyeshadow contains the highest (except Ag and Cd) concentrations of trace elements. On the other hand, the levels of HQ for trace elements in the cosmetic products decreased in the following order: Zn > Cr > Cd > Fe > Cu > Ag > Ni > Pb. The trace element concentrations in the three brands of cosmetic products in our research were lower than the international standards and similar to those reported from researchers in different parts of Iran, but according to the accumulation and toxicity of these trace elements in the human body, they require periodic monitoring.