Using Particle-Induced Gamma-Ray Emission Spectroscopy to Detect Fluorinated Substances in Personal Care Products

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are known environmental contaminants linked to cancer and other adverse health effects. These compounds have applications in a wide variety of products, including personal care products. PFASs in cosmetics—specifically mascara and lipstick — can travel into the eyes and mouth and increase chances of human exposure. We measured total fluorine in 235 cosmetics using particle-induced gamma-ray emission (PIGE) spectroscopy. PIGE offers an efficient technique to detect the presence of fluorine involving minimal analysis time compared to traditional methods. We found that 54% of all the cosmetic samples contained fluorine, including 92% of waterproof mascaras and 80% of liquid lipsticks. A subset of 8 samples are currently being sent to our collaborators at Oregon State University to identify which fluorinated compounds are in our samples.