title: Risk Assessment of Baby Powder Exposure through Inhalation.
abstract: This study was conducted to assess the exposure risk through inhalation to baby powder for babies and adults under simulated conditions. Baby powder was applied to a baby doll and the amount of baby powder consumed per application was estimated. The airborne exposure to baby powder during application was then evaluated by sampling the airborne baby powder near the breathing zones of both the baby doll and the person applying the powder (the applicator). The average amount of baby powder consumed was 100 mg/application, and the average exposure concentration of airborne baby powder for the applicator and baby doll was 0.00527 mg/m(3) (range 0.00157~0.01579 mg/m(3)) and 0.02207 mg/m(3) (range 0.00780~ 0.04173 mg/m(3)), respectively. When compared with the Occupational Exposure Limit of 2 mg/m(3) set by the Korean Ministry of Labor and the Threshold Limit Value (TLV) of 2 mg/m(3) set by the ACGIH (American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists), the exposure concentrations were much lower. Next, the exposure to asbestos-containing baby powder was estimated and the exposure risk was assessed based on the lung asbestos contents in normal humans. As a result, the estimated lung asbestos content resulting from exposure to asbestos-containing baby powder was found to be much lower than that of a normal Korean with no asbestos-related occupational history.
authors.affiliation: Toxicological Research Center, Hoseo University, Asan 336-795, Korea.
authors.forename: Min Chaul
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.forename: Jung Duck
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Byung Soon
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: So Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Dong Won
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Yong Hyun
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Naomi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hisanaga
authors.forename: Il Je
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Yu
keywords: Asbestos; Baby powder; Exposure assessment; Risk assessment; Talc