1,4-Dioxane Chemistry, Uses, and Occurrence - Environmental Investigation and Remediation - page 92

TABLE 2.10
Detections of 1,4-Dioxane in Taiwanese Surfactants and Soaps

Sample Type 1,4-Dioxane (ppm)

Surfactant: Polyethylene oxide 72

Surfactant: Poly(ethylene/propylene) oxide 12

Surfactant: Polyhydric alcohol 65

Shampoo a 12-41 (in 3 of 9 samples; 6 ND)

Liquid soap b 8 (in 1 of 9 samples; 8 ND)

Dish-washing detergent c 6 (in 1 of 9 samples; 8 ND)

Source: Fuh, C.B., Lai, M., Tsai, H.Y., and Chang, C.M., 2005, Journal of Chromatog-
raphy A 1071(1): 141-145.

ND = not detected.

low-quality ethoxylates were still being used to produce sundries, with 2-7 ppm 1,4-dioxane detected
in shampoos, including baby shampoos, 2-8 ppm in body lotions, and 2-10 ppm in dish-washing
soaps (Wala-Jerzykiewicz and Szymanowski, 1998).
An analytical survey of ethoxylated raw materials in the U.S. market found 1,4-dioxane at levels
as high as 1410 ppm and at levels as high as 279 ppm in personal care products. Children's sham-
poos contained levels of 1,4-dioxane in excess of 85 ppm (Black et al., 2001). In Taiwan, 1,4-dioxane
residue was still present in 2005 in some nonionic surfactants, as well as in shampoos, liquid soaps,
and dish-washing detergents (Fuh et al., 2005). Table 2.10 summarizes i ndings from analysis of
surfactants and soaps in Taiwan.
Liquid laundry soaps often include nonylphenol ethoxylate (CASRN 127087-87-0), which may
include trace residuals of 1,4-dioxane at levels sufi ciently high to require reporting under California
Proposition 65 and 40 CFR Section 302.4 rules. 1,4-Dioxane remaining in detergents and personal
care products is released through use to publicly owned treatment works (POTWs) to produce a dif-
fuse presence of 1,4-dioxane in wastewater and POTW efl uent.
In 2007, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics released results from a survey of 1,4-dioxane in chil-
dren's shampoos and bubble baths. More than two dozen baby and children's consumer products
were analyzed by a commercial laboratory by isotope-dilution, headspace/GCMS and a reporting
limit of 0.2 ppm. Four of the products tested exceeded 10 ppm, the FDA recommendation for the
maximum 1,4-dioxane content in cosmetic products. The median-detected 1,4-dioxane value
(excluding eight samples with no detection) was 5 ppm; the average was 7 ppm, and the standard
deviation was 7 ppm. See Table 6.17 for a list of product testing results.

2.4.1.2 Personal Care Products: Cosmetics
The Cosmetic Handbook (FDA, 1992) advises that cosmetics containing ethoxylated surfactant agents
that may be contaminated with 1,4-dioxane—such as detergents, foaming agents, and emulsii ers—
are identii able by the words, acronyms, or sufi xes “PEG,” “polyethylene,” “polyethylene glycol
(PEG),” “polyoxyethylene,” “-eth-,” or “-oxynol-.” A survey of cosmetic products in 1979 found
that 31 of 65 products analyzed contained greater than 10 ppm 1,4-dioxane (Fishbein, 1981). An
analytical survey of Belgian cosmetic products found 1,4-dioxane concentrations from less than 2
to 613 mg/kg (Beernaert et al., 1987). A survey of Italian cosmetic products found that 48% contained
from 7.3 to 85.9 ppm 1,4-dioxane (Scalia and Menegatti, 1991; Scalia et al., 1992). In 1985, the FDA
instituted a formal policy that cosmetic products should not contain 1,4-dioxane at concentrations
greater than 10 ppm (mg/kg) (ATSDR, 2004); the same standard is currently employed by the
German Cosmetic, Toiletry, Perfumery and Detergent Association (IKW) (Fruijtier-Pölloth, 2005).