Parabens in urine of children and adolescents in Germany - human biomonitoring results of the german environmental survey 2014-2017 (GerES V)

Parabens are antimicrobial preservatives used in a wide range of consumer products such as personal care products, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and food. Consequently, the general population is ubiquitously exposed to these substances via dermal absorption, ingestion, and inhalation. Parabens promote estrogenic activity and are hence under assessment as endocrine disrupting substances. Urine samples from 3-to 17-year-old children and adolescents (N = 516) living in Germany were analysed for concentrations of nine parabens in the population representative German Environmental Survey for Children and Adolescents 2014-2017 (GerES V). Detection rates and urinary concentrations of the parabens decreased with increasing length of the alkyl chain. Methyl paraben was quantified in 97% of the samples with a geometric mean (GM) concentration of 7.724 mu g/L (6.714 mu g/g(creatinine)), ethyl paraben was quantified in 69% (GM: 0.943 mu g/L and 0.825 mu g/g(crea)), and n-propyl paraben in 31% (GM: 0.563 mu g/L and 0.493 ?g/gcrea). Concentrations of iso-propyl paraben, butyl paraben, iso-butyl paraben, and benzyl paraben were below the limit of quantification in most samples. Pentyl paraben and heptyl paraben were not detected in any of the samples. Paraben concentrations in urine were found to be associated with frequent usage of leave-on personal care products and cosmetics. Cumulative exposure to parabens (back calculated daily intakes, expressed as hazard index) was found to be on a level raising concern in up to 14% of the population, mainly driven by n-propyl paraben, and depending on the level of conservativeness and point-of departures used for calculation.

Automated summary

The study found that children and adolescents in Germany were exposed to various parabens through consumer products, with higher detection rates of methylparaben in urine samples. Higher concentrations of parabens in urine were associated with frequent usage of personal care products and cosmetics. Cumulative exposure to parabens raised concern in up to 14% of the population, mainly driven by n-propyl paraben.