Health Risks of Organophosphate Flame Retardants (OPFRs) in Facial Cosmetic Sponges via Dermal Exposure

Organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) are widely used in consumer products and have attracted extensive attention due to their potential hazards. In this study, the concentration of OPFRs in cosmetic sponges, the migration of these compounds, and the assessment of dermal exposure risk are reported for the first time. Twelve OPFRs were detected in cosmetic sponges, with concentrations ranging from not detected (ND) to 9624 ng·g^-1 and a total detection frequency (DF) of 75.58% (n = 86). A migration experiment was designed to evaluate the skin load of OPFRs from cosmetic sponges using the Strat-M^TM artificial membrane, and the reliability of the method was verified. The daily exposure of females (age: 11-40 years) to OPFRs through dermal contact with cosmetic sponges under different use conditions and for different age groups was assessed. The use of wet cosmetic sponges resulted in persistent and higher OPFRs exposure. Although the calculation of the hazard ratio indicated an acceptable health risk from OPFRs contained in cosmetic sponges, the toxicity results based on the L-929 cell line highlight that the potential toxicity risk caused by the migration of OPFRs from cosmetic sponges cannot be neglected.