Trace metal contents of facial (make-up) cosmetics
commonly used in Nigeria
NNOROM, I.C.1*, IGWE, J.C.1 and OJI-NNOROM C.G.2
1Department of Industrial Chemistry, Abia State University, Uturu, Nigeria.kohl 0.6%-50% - 46% Parry and
Eaton, 1991
Bulgaria eye shadow, lipstick
and
powders
ND-41.1
ug/g
- - Tsankov et
al.,1982
- eye shadows 4300  g/g) and the lead-based
kwali (0.98 - 1.2%) which reflects the natural source of
these materials (Funtua and Oyewale, 1997).Ophthalmologists have indicated that a
seemingly disproportionately high percentage of patients
with intransigent glaucoma have elevated Cd levels.The present study indicate that the use of facial
cosmetics exposes users to low levels of heavy metals of
which Pb and Cd are of most toxicological concern.The levels of chromium, iron and zinc were much higher in
the samples than those of the non-essential toxic metals; lead, cadmium and nickel.The objective of the present study therefore is to
examine further the trace metals content of facial
cosmetics commonly used in Nigeria.However the continuous use
of these cosmetics may enhance the absorption of
especially Cd and Pb during eating for lipsticks and
during sweating for the other facial make-ups.The health implications of
the use of these cosmetics can only be properly
assessed by monitoring the levels of these toxic metals in
the blood and urine samples of the group engaged in the
practice.It should be noted, however that these cosmetics are
relatively safer to use when compared to the lead-based
kwali eye make-ups which have been reported to contain
Nnorom et al. 1135
Table 1.Metal Eye Liners Eye pencils Lipstick
Fe 195.3 +- 111.9
(169.2)*
78.0 - 325.2**
133.0 +- 98.6
(97.2)
17.0 - 288.3
297.5 +- 167.6
(256.1)
92.2 - 632.0
Ni 9.2 +- 4.1
(8.43)
4.4 - 14.5
13.4 +- 5.8
(12.1)
4.9 - 21.5
14.6 +- 6.3
(13.3)
7.0 - 22.8
Pb 131.0 +- 61.0
(120.5)
66.4 - 213.6
129.2 +- 40.4
(123.2)
66.0 - 187.1
105.5 +- 67.5
(87.3)
28.7 - 252.4
Zn 94.4 +- 27.6
(91.5)
72.0 - 128.5
111.9 +- 49.6
(100.9)
36.3 - 198.7
94.9 +- 38.5
(88.0)
42.3 - 174.8
Cr 37.8 +- 4.1
(37.6)
33.5 - 43.1
41.5 +- 12.7
(39.9)
25.8 - 64.3
31.8 +- 11.2
(30.4)
20.5 - 58.8
Cd 1.3 +- 0.7
(1.0)
0.3 - 1.8
0.8 +- 0.2
(0.7)
0.5 - 1.1
1.1 +- 0.6
(0.9)
0.5 - 2.4
*Geometric mean.A recurrent theme in research on childhood lead
poisoning has been the discovery time and again over
the past four decades that Pb is toxic to the developing
nervous system at levels previously thought to be safe.Levels of Ni comparable to
levels found in Nigerian cosmetics were also reported by
Sainio et al. (2000).Understanding the consequences of low-level human Pb
poisoning will depend upon an accurate assessment of
the pervasiveness of toxicity in the global population.The range of the
geometric average for the various cosmetics is: Fe, 97-256  g/g; Ni, 8-13  g/g; Pb, 87-123  g/g; and Zn,
88-101  g/g.A biological basis for breast carcinogenesis could
result from the ability of the various constituent chemicals
to bind to DNA and to promote growth of the damaged
cells (Darbre, 2003).In fact, lead has been
described as the most severe environmental contaminant
to arise in human civilization (Smith and Flegal, 1995).The range of Pb levels
for lipsticks is wider than that for local eyeliners, while the
geometric mean value for the local eye-liners (120.5
 g/g) is much higher than that for the lipsticks (87.3  g/g).Exposure
to lead by dermal contact can contribute to significant
toxicity (Moyer et al., 1999).The graphitebased
kwali is also relatively safer, as lower values of Ni
(14-30  g/g), Zn (11-19  g/g), and Pb (23-32  g/g) were
observed in them compared to the lead-based kwali.Apart from an extensive data available on Pb
intoxication on CNS and the hemopoietic system, very
little information is available regarding its effects on the
ocular system (Dwivedi, 1996).Significantly higher levels of Cu, Pb and Cd have been
observed in human lenses of people suffering from
cataract.It has been
suggested that lead may have this effect by interfering
with the role of calcium in brain cell development (Driscoll
et al., 1992) and because the developing nervous system
is thought to be far more vulnerable to toxic effect of lead
than the mature brain (Koller et al., 2004).Unfortunately,
it is not known whether treatment to reduce blood lead
levels prevents or reduces such impairment (Rogan et
al., 2001).A baby exclusively fed with this milk is
estimated to have an average Pb intake of 9.9  g/kg/day,
a value twice the daily permissible intake (DPI) of 5.0
 g/kg/day set by WHO in 1972.Our result indicates that these cosmetics are relatively safer to use when
compared to the lead-based kwali eye make-up commonly available in Nigeria.These data indicate that
the continuous use of these cosmetics could result in an increase in the trace metal levels in the ocular
system and the human body beyond acceptable limits.Lead and
cadmium are two potentially harmful metals that have
aroused considerable concern.The samples were dried to
constant weight in an oven at 80?C for 12 h. 1 g of the dried
samples was digested with HNO3, evaporated to near dryness on a
hot plate and then cooled.More HClO4 was added until evolution of white fumes
(marking the end of the digestion process) before heating to near
dryness.Because of the positively
skewed nature of the results, the geometric mean of the
results was calculated as it is a better estimate of the
average than the arithmetic mean.As such it is readily incorporated into trophic
and metabolic pathways (Smith and Flegal, 1995).Automobile exhausts were believed to account for more
than 80% of the air pollution in Nigeria (Osibanjo and
Ajayi, 1989).This indicates that some
exclusively breastfed Fulani infants may be at risk of
injury from lead derived from their mothers milk.One can
only but imagine the health implications and blood lead
values of such infants considering that these cosmetics
and herbal preparations are also used on infants and
neonates.The geometric mean values obtained for Cr and Cd were generally below 40  g/g and about
1  g/g, respectively.There is a growing concern about the physiological and
behavioral effects of environmental trace metals in
human population.Appropriate quality assurance
procedures and precaution were carried out to ensure reliability of
the results.Comparative amounts of Pb were found in the local eyeliners
and the eye pencils.Chromium levels on the other hand were
much higher than the corresponding levels of nickel and
cadmium in each sample group.Correlation study of the data
indicated only a relatively weak correlation between Cr
and Zn (r = 0.5) and between Cr and Cd (r = 0.4).Iron
compounds have an established role as colorants in
many cosmetic products.Thus the observed high values of
these metals may not indicate any present possible
health hazard.On a societal basis, the aggregate loss on
cognitive acuity due to lead exposure can be enormous.