Occurrence of N-nitrosodiethanolamine (NDELA) in cosmetics from the Dutch market

N-Nitrosamines as carcinogens in general pose a potential health risk. Since 1992, legal guidelines that restrict the occurrence of N-nitrosamines in cosmetics have been operational in the European Union. Problem issues are NDELA (N-nitrosodiethanolamine) and NMPABAO (2-ethylhexyl 4-(N-nitroso-N-methylamino)benzoate). Data available on the NDELA content of Dutch samples date back to the early 1980s and those for NMPABAO are lacking. For the determination of NDELA in cosmetics, a method based on capillary gas chromatography (GC) without derivatization and online chemiluminescence detection with a Thermal Energy Analyser (TEA) has been developed and validated. The sample is diluted with water, adsorbed onto a kieselgur column and eluted with n-butanol. The extract is transferred to a silica gel column which is eluted with acetone. The eluate is dried and re-dissolved in dichloromethane. The final extract is analysed for NDELA by GC-TEA. The average recovery for NDELA is 99%, range 86-112% (n = 4) and the limit of quantification is 5.3 mug kg(-1). The GC-TEA method was used to determine the NDELA content of 48 cosmetics including gels, shampoos, cremes, milks, conditioners and foams. All determinations were done in duplicate, and for every 10 cosmetics a recovery experiment and a blank determination were performed. The results of these quality assurance experiments were within the performance characteristics of the method developed. In 1996, a content of NDELA above the limit of quantification of 5.3 mug kg(-1) was measured in four out of the 48 cosmetics. Based on these results, a more selective survey was carried out. Now a NDELA content above the limit of quantification was measured in seven out of 25 sampled and analysed cosmetics.