title: Spectrometric analysis of mercury content in 549 skin-lightening products: is mercury toxicity a hidden global health hazard?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cosmetic skin lightening is practiced worldwide. Mercury is a well-documented melanotoxin added to some lightening products. However, mercury can cause many dermatologic, renal, and neurologic problems. The Food and Drug Administration limits the amount of mercury in cosmetic products to trace amounts, 1 ppm.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to quantitatively evaluate a large international sample of lightening products for mercury content, focusing on products available to US consumers either online or in stores.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 549 skin-lightening products, manufactured in 32 countries, were purchased online in the United States, Taiwan, and Japan and in stores in the United States, China, Taiwan, Thailand, Japan, and Sri Lanka. Cosmetics were screened for mercury content above 200 ppm using a low-cost portable x-ray fluorescence spectrometer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 549 tested products, 6.0% (n = 33) contained mercury above 1000 ppm. In all, 45% of mercury-containing samples contained mercury in excess of 10,000 ppm. Of lightening products purchased in the United States, 3.3% were found to contain mercury in excess of 1000 ppm.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study did not evaluate creams for other melanosuppressive ingredients. Only 1 sample of each product was tested.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study confirms the national and global presence of mercury in skin-lightening products.
authors: Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, California. Electronic address: hamann511@gmail.com.
authors: Carsten R
authors: CR
authors: Hamann
authors: Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors: Waranya
authors: W
authors: Boonchai
authors: Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
authors: Liping
authors: L
authors: Wen
authors: Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors: Emi Nishijima
authors: EN
authors: Sakanashi
authors: National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors: Chia-Yu
authors: CY
authors: Chu
authors: Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Michigan.
authors: Kylin
authors: K
authors: Hamann
authors: Contact Dermatitis Institute, Phoenix, Arizona.
authors: Curtis P
authors: CP
authors: Hamann
authors: Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Michigan.
authors: Kumar
authors: K
authors: Sinniah
authors: University of Arizona College of Medicine, Phoenix, Arizona.
authors: Dathan
authors: D
authors: Hamann
mesh_terms: D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D002681:China; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D014943:Global Health; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008628:Mercury / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D008630:Mercury Poisoning / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D009824:Ointments / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012869:Skin Absorption / Q000502:physiology; D062327:Skin Lightening Preparations / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D012880:Skin Pigmentation / Q000187:drug effects*; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods; D013188:Sri Lanka; D013624:Taiwan; D013785:Thailand; D014481:United States; D014486:United States Food and Drug Administration
chemical_list: D009824:Ointments; D062327:Skin Lightening Preparations; D008628:Mercury
keywords: AA; CVAAS; FDA; Food and Drug Administration; ICP; XRF; allergic contact dermatitis; atomic absorption; bleaching; cold vapor atomic absorption spectroscopy; consumer safety; inductively coupled plasma; melanotoxicity; mercury; mercury toxicity; skin lightening; skin whitening; whitening cream; x-ray fluorescence; x-ray fluorescence spectrometry