Determination of Heavy Metals in Sanitary Products of Women

Abstract Endometriosis becomes the most common cause of pelvic pain and infertility women. The cause of endometriosis has ever been entirely proven. However, an increased use of commercial feminine hygiene products such as tampons and sanitary napkins was considered one of the major affect. Harmful substances in feminine hygiene products was analyzed and evaluated. Samples of commercial products obtained from Korea, Japan, America, Germany, and China were analyzed for six hazardous inorganic elements (chromium, cobalt, nickel, copper, cadmium and lead). In the extractable heavy metals of napkins, Cr, Ni and Cu were found in all of the samples, while Cd was detected only in two samples. In the tampons, Cr, Ni and Cu were found in all of the samples. The presence of Co and Cd was not detected in all samples The concentrations of extractable heavy metals in the tampons were lower than those in the sanitary napkins. The content of extractable heavy metals in the sanitary products was compared with the criteria of the 100 $\ddot{O}KO$ TEX Standard. It was confirmed that the level of heavy metals in the sanitary products posed no serious risk to health, based on the human-ecological criteria defined by the 100 $\ddot{O}KO$ TEX Standard. 각국의 여성용 위생용품의 유해중금속을 비교 평가하기 위하여, 일회용 생리대는 한국 3개사, 일본 2개사, 미국 3개사, 독일 3개사, 중국 2개사의 시료와, 여성용 일회용 탐폰은 한국 1개사, 일본 2개사, 미국 2개사 시료를 대상으로 Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Cd, Pb의 유해중금속 분석을 행하였다. 여성용 일회용 생리대의 용출실험에서는 Cr, Ni, Cu가 모든 시료에서 검출 되었다. 또한 여성용 일회용 탐폰의 용출실험에서 Cr, Ni, Cu 가 모든 시료에서 검출 되었다. 여성용 일회용 탐폰의 용출실험의 결과는 생리대의 결과값보다 낮은 농도롤 나타내었다. 본 연구에서 분석한 각국 여성용 일회용 위생용품의 유해중금속의 분석값은 Oeko-Tex Standard 100의 규제치와의 비교에서 규제치 이하로 인체유해성은 없는 것으로 판단되어진다.