Miljøprojekt Nr. 1200 – Kemiske analysemetoder til kosmetiske produkter

Kemiske analysemetoder til kosmetiske produkter

Summary and conclusions

By use of Internet search engines and databases a search was conducted in the scientific literature on methods of chemical analysis of ingredients in cosmetic products.

Methods for analysis of chemical substances that are regulated by “Order from the Danish Ministry of the Environment, No. 422 of 04 May 2006, on Cosmetics” were searched for and found by using Google Scholar. Peer-reviewed literature in scientific journals was searched. The located methods are all available to the public from Danish research libraries. More than 60% of the located references are from year 2000 or later.

The located methods had been developed for or controlled on cosmetics, and are all state-of-the-art analytical methods where techniques in combinations often are applied. The methods are developed as standard methods with emphasize on short time of analysis.

The search was done in 5 languages, including English, this being a principal language of science. However, that other methods might exist, only not found by the search profile used, cannot be eliminated.

Out of the 1635 substances that are regulated by the above-mentioned Order and the 22 dyes banned by the Commission on 20 July 2006, analytical methods for a total of 348 substances were found. The main part of the substances with analytical method is permitted ingredients, preservatives, or UV filters. In average methods for 78% of these substances were found.

It is likely, however, that the remaining substances are possible to analyse for, either as pure substances or in matrices other than cosmetics.

Only few analytical methods were found for dyes, temporarily permitted substances, and substances that are not permitted in cosmetics, in average 14%.