Determination of Heavy Metals and Hydroquinone Contents in Cosmetic Products Sold in Sudan

Abstract

Nowadays, the use of facial makeup among most Sudanese ladies becomes very popular without being aware about the potential dangers that can threaten their health while using these cosmetics. Several facial cosmetics available in Sudanese markets are unsafe. A questionnaire survey and statistical analysis were employed in this investigation. Actual participants size (500) were females, university students (70%), employees ladies (20%), house wives (7.5%) and others (2.5%). It was found that 80% of the participants are used to apply makeup, 32% apply local cosmetic preparations; 40%, share or borrow makeup; 14%, do not store makeup properly; 40%, have never read the ingredients list; the majority, do not use natural and homemade cosmetics; several, suffer from harmful effects due to the use of cosmetics. In this study, thirty samples of Skin-lightening creams (local and imported) were analyzed for total hydroquinone by using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Most of the creams samples analyzed for hydroquinone had concentrations more than the US Food and Drug Administration’s acceptable limit of 2.0% the detected percentage was 5.7% in most of the samples. However, the percentage of local preparation cream having hydroquinone content higher than the recommended WHO limit of 2% was only 23%. Ninety six samples of different facial makeup cosmetic products, were collected randomly from the local Sudanese markets. A microwave- assisted digestion with V concentrated nitric acid, hydrochloric acid was applied for sample preparation. High levels of all analyzed elements in the imported eye shadow in all brown, golden, blue and pink colors at wide range of concentrations were obtained, but low levels in wide range of concentrations, in locally prepared lipstick and eye shadow samples were detected for Pb, Hg, and Cd. Although Pb was present in low concentrations in all samples, locally prepared whitening creams, lipstick and eye shadow showed highest concentration levels of 33.63 μg /g, 42.42 μg /g, and 52.02 μg /g, respectively. The highest concentration levels for Hg in locally prepared whitening creams and eye shadow samples were found to be 42.09 μg /g, and 21.30 μg /g, respectively. The highest concentration levels for Cd, however, were found to be5.21μg /g, 22.53μg /g, and 7.06μg /g, in imported lipstick, eye shadow and local whitening creams, respectively. High concentration levels of Zn were not obtained in all analyzed samples except in the imported eye shadow, (72.46μg /g).