Studies on the reaction of skin when exposed to fluorescent whitening agents

In hand washing tests with detergents containing fluorescent whitening agents (FWAs), the amounts of whitener left on both hands were determined by TLC spectrophotometry: they varied from 0.06 mg to 0.17 mg. Whiteners of different chemical constitutions behaved in a very similar manner. After 24 hours the skin of the treated hands was virtually free of whitener.