Feminine hygiene products and volatile organic compounds in reproductive-aged women across the menstrual cycle: a longitudinal pilot study.

Details

• Personal Author:
  Batterman S ; Ding N ; Lin N ; Park SK
• Description:
  Background: Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have been detected in feminine hygiene products (FHPs), especially in tampons and sanitary pads. However, little is known about whether menstrual products can contribute to VOC exposure in women. Our objectives were to: (1) examine the variations of urinary VOC concentrations during menstrual cycles; (2) evaluate the relationships between the use of menstrual products and urinary VOC concentrations; and (3) link urinary VOC concentrations to those measured in menstrual products. Methods: We measured urinary concentrations of 98 target VOCs in 25 reproductive-aged women with 100 repeated measures collected between October 2018 and February 2019. First-morning-void urine samples were collected four times for each woman during one menstrual cycle. Urinary VOC concentrations were measured using gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy. Results: Of 98 target VOCs measured in the urine samples, 36 VOCs were detected. We did not see statistically significant variations in VOC concentrations across the menstrual cycle. After multivariable adjustment, tampon users had significantly higher concentrations of 2-butanone (β = 1.58 log ng/g, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.16-3.00, p = 0.03) and methyl isobutyl ketone (β = 0.63 log ng/g, 95% CI: 0.03-1.22, p = 0.04), compared with pad users. Higher n-nonane, benzene, and toluene estimated from menstrual products were associated with higher urinary concentrations in women. Conclusion: The use of FHPs during menses might be a potential source of VOCs. A larger cohort study is warranted to confirm our results and evaluate clinical implications. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Chromatography Cohort Studies Occupational Health Safety Urine Volatile Organic Compounds Women
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Endocrine-disrupting Chemicals; Feminine Hygiene Products; Volatile Organic Compounds; Women Women; Menstrual Disorders; VOCs; Volatile Organic Compounds; Cohort Studies; Urine; Urinalysis; Chromatography; Mass Spectrometry;
• ISSN:
  1540-9996
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Michigan ; OSHA Region 5
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  210-218
• Volume:
  31
• Issue:
  2
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20064792
• Citation:
  J Womens Health 2022 Feb; 31(2):210-218
• Contact Point Address:
  Sung Kyun Park, ScD, MPH, Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan, M5541 SPH II, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2029
• Email:
  sungkyun@umich.edu
• CAS Registry Number:
  Benzene (CAS RN 71-43-2) ; Methyl ethyl ketone (CAS RN 78-93-3) ; Methyl isobutyl ketone (CAS RN 108-10-1) ; Toluene (CAS RN 108-88-3)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2022
• Performing Organization:
  University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  Journal of Women's Health
• End Date:
  20280630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:88caf601f102c7db39ea1b62c48b789ec7e7aef116960282f62ae4a6311cdd843243ed7fd43c5f81a68dfb8a265b04f034580ce6d2fdf5433c03aebe033c65f6
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/248885/cdc_248885_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 314.12 KB ]