Mercury in Skin-Care Products in India and Consumer Exposure Risks.

We report concentrations of mercury in skin-care products in India and the associated health risks. Mercury concentrations were 0.11 μg/kg (median; 5th percentile - 95th percentile = 0.04 - 0.58 μg/kg; n = 24) in body lotions, 0.22 μg/kg (0.04 - 0.38 μg/kg, n = 10) in moisturizing lotions, 0.67 μg/kg (0.30 - 1.33 μg/kg, n = 8) in blemish balms, 0.16 μg/g (0.06 - 7.43 μg/kg, n = 11) in bleaches, 0.13 μg/kg (0.04 - 0.98 μg/kg, n = 34) in skin lightening (fairness) creams manufactured within the country, and 9.24×106 μg/kg (2.92×106 - 3.17×107 μg/kg, n = 14) in imported skin lightening (fairness) creams, much higher than the 1 ppm (1 ppm = 103 μg/kg) regulatory limit. Probabilistic human health risk assessment for adult women (age > 21 y) revealed that computed hazard quotients from dermal exposure to the high-mercury fairness creams were >100 in all cases. The mass of mercury entering into the society via skin-care products is highly sensitive to the mass of high-mercury fairness creams that is imported to India; ten tonnes of import can introduce 29 - 317 kg of mercury every year. As such, analysis and labeling of mercury contents in skin-care products by manufacturers, and raising awareness among regulatory authorities to restrict the import of high-mercury fairness creams, is required.