Mercury in skin-care products in India and consumer exposure risks

We report concentrations of mercury in skin-care products in India and the associated health risks. Mercury concentrations were 0.11 mu g/kg (median; 5th percentile-95th percentile = 0.04-0.58 mu g/kg; n = 24) in body lotions, 0.22 mu g/kg (0.04-0.38 mu g/kg, n = 10) in moisturizing lotions, 0.67 mu g/kg (0.30-1.33 mu g/kg, n = 8) in blemish balms, 0.16 mu g/kg (0.06-7.43 mu g/kg, n = 11) in bleaches, 0.13 mu g/kg (0.04-0.98 mu g/kg, n = 34) in skin lightning (fairness) creams manufactured within the country, and 9.24 x 106 mu g/kg (2.92 x 106-3.17 x 107 mu g/ kg, n = 14) in imported skin lightning (fairness) creams, much higher than the 1 ppm (1 ppm = 103 mu g/kg) regulatory limit. Probabilistic human health risk assessment for adult women (age > 21 y) revealed that computed hazard quotients from dermal exposure to the high-mercury fairness creams were >100 in all cases. The mass of mercury entering into the society via skin-care products is highly sensitive to the mass of high mercury fairness creams that is imported to India; ten tonnes of import can introduce 29-317 kg of mercury every year. As such, analysis and labeling of mercury contents in skin-care products by manufacturers, and raising awareness among regulatory authorities to restrict the import of high-mercury fairness creams, is required.