Determination of Heavy Metals in Sanitary Products of Women

Abstract

Endometriosis becomes the most common cause of pelvic pain and infertility women. The cause of endometriosis has ever been entirely proven. However, an increased use of commercial feminine hygiene products such as tampons and sanitary napkins was considered one of the major affect. Harmful substances in feminine hygiene products was analyzed and evaluated. Samples of commercial products obtained from Korea, Japan, America, Germany, and China were analyzed for six hazardous inorganic elements (chromium, cobalt, nickel, copper, cadmium and lead). In the extractable heavy metals of napkins, Cr, Ni and Cu were found in all of the samples, while Cd was detected only in two samples. In the tampons, Cr, Ni and Cu were found in all of the samples. The presence of Co and Cd was not detected in all samples The concentrations of extractable heavy metals in the tampons were lower than those in the sanitary napkins. The content of extractable heavy metals in the sanitary products was compared with the criteria of the 100 ÖKO TEX Standard. It was confirmed that the level of heavy metals in the sanitary products posed no serious risk to health, based on the human-ecological criteria defined by the 100 ÖKO TEX Standard.