Assessment of Heavy Metal in Some Commonly Used Cosmetic Product and Associated Health Risk in Nigeria: Threat to Public Health

Abstract

The desire for beautification is promoting the use of cosmetics by humans despite its potential danger due to the presence of heavy metal. The current study is carried out to examine the heavy metal content and associated health risk in fifty (n = 50) cosmetic products in Nigeria five (5) piece each of face powder, eyeliner, primer, Bio clear, Carl white, mascara, lip gloss, eye shadow, foundation, and lipstick are randomly sampled from various shops within Nigeria, and their level of toxic metals is assessed (lead, nickel, cobalt, copper, and chromium) using flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer. All the studied cosmetic samples contain a varying quantity of heavy metals of interest. The health risk assessment method established by the USEPA is adopted to evaluate the possible human health hazard of heavy metals in cosmetics. The overall mean concentration for Pb, Ni, Co, Cu, and Cr are 19.46 ± 0.32, 1.42 ± 0.05, 0.81 ± 0.09, 11.92 ± 0.86, and 5.98 ± 0.46 mg kg−1, respectively. The margin of safety (MoS) values obtained is greater than 100. Even though the concentration of the toxic metals in most of the cosmetic products is in trace amount but the gradual penetration of these metals into the human system may be injurious to the biological system if allowed to accumulate over time. Therefore, it is recommended that the level of toxic metals or the long term exposure to cosmetics should be reduced to minimize the health risk.

Risk of Exposure to Trace Elements through the Application of Facial Makeup Powders

“…Chromium concentrations detected far exceeded the maximum allowed levels set by various regulatory organizations [7,15,33]. Cr 6+ is more toxic than Cr 3+ [34]. However, the presence of Cr 6+ as an ingredient in cosmetics is not restricted by law.…”

Risk assessment of heavy metals in brands of lipsticks commonly used in Shahrekord, Iran

“…Exposure to contaminants such as heavy metals through water, air, food, and many cosmetic products can lead to human poisoning (1). If heavy metals accumulate in soft tissues, the body cannot metabolize them, which can cause complications and irreversible effects on the body (2).…”

“…The desire for beauty in humans has led to the frequent use of cosmetics worldwide. Although the skin protects against external contaminants, some cosmetics can pass through the skin, leading to adverse health effects (1). Studies show that a woman inadvertently eats 1.8 kg of lipstick during her lifetime, and direct oral ingestion exacerbates the negative effects of chemicals such as heavy metals (4).…”

Prussian blue/ silica HOM nanocomposite for efficient removal of copper (II) from water

“…Important pollution problems are caused by heavy metals, and concerns about their contamination and associated hazards are growing in relation to the environment and public health (Briffa et al 2020;Bui et.al 2020;Ngoc et al 2020;Shara et al 2021;Yu et al 2021). Accumulation of heavy metals indicated cancerous breast biopsies (Usman et al 2021). The amount of heavy metals released by human activity is greater than the amount released by natural sources; naturally 2.3-54 KT/year synthetic 20-51 KT/year (Nriagu et al 1989).…”