ANAYLSIS OF SELECTED HEAVY METALS AND HYDROQUINONE IN VANISHING CREAMS IN MIRPUR AZAD KASHMIR, PAKISTAN

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to quantify the active ingredients like hydroquinone and heavy metals (mercury, lead, arsenic and cadmium) from the selected brands of vanishing creams along with human health risk assessment and in this study the awareness of consumers about the contamination of vanishing creams with hazardous ingredients that can cause various skin and health issues and their most preferred brands both locally manufactured and imported but easily available from the local market was also assessed by conducting a questionnaire survey. In questionnaire survey 100 participants from both urban and rural areas participated. The questionnaire data was analyzed by using SPSS program. Total 5 different brands of vanishing creams were selected according to consumer’s preferences known by conducting questionnaire survey. Quantification of Hydroquinone was done by using TLC technique, by using 96% of ethanol. Visualization was done after drying by using UV lamp with 253nm UV light. Hydroquinone was detected in 2 out of 5 samples. The quantification of Mercury was done by using Cold vapor technique with AAS and 5 out of 5 samples were contaminated with mercury ranged between 0.005ppm to 1ppm.The analysis of arsenic from the samples was done by using hydride generation technique with atomic absorption spectrophotometry (HGAAS). All the samples were clear from arsenic contamination. Lead and Cadmium were analyzed by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. Cd was present in 3 out of 5 samples. The concentration of cadmium was ranged between 0.05 -1ppm.4 out of 5 samples were contaminated with lead .The maximum contaminated sample with lead was in range 1.50ppm and the least contaminated sample was in range 0.096ppm.Human health risk was assessed by chronic daily intake(dermal), hazard quotient and life time carcinogenic risk (LCR). Hazard quotient was greater than 1 for all samples which means suspected samples are more likely to cause potential health issues, avoidance of such products is better. The present study gives the clear results that noxious ingredients are utilized as active ingredients in suspected samples of vanishing creams. This is quite alarming that there is no proper check and balance on importing, manufacturing and selling. The contaminants present in such products have tendency to bio accumulate and afterix prolonged use they can slowly release the heavy metals in human body and can cause various health issues and are more likely to effect the users health.