Document 15zORegoVoz7y2jmB0aEy3ojo
1 L. J. Cralley, Ph. D., M. M. Key, M. D., 1). if. Croth, M. D.,
W.S. Lainhart, M. D., and LI. AT. Ligo.M. D. *
Reports of finding pulmonary fibrous bodies, previously referred to as "asbestos" and now as "ferruginous" bodies, in the lungs of persons coming to autopsy in hospitals in a number of cities have recently been increasing. The first report of these morphologically distinctive fibrous bodies in the sputum and lungs of asbestos workers was made in 1906 by Marehand (1). Current interest dates from 1963 when Thompson et al. found these fibrous bodies in the lungs in 26.4^c of the autopsies in a series of examinations in Cape Town (2). Subsequent investigations (3-8) provide evidence that the occurrence of these bodies in the lungs of urban residents is not restricted to those in isolated localities and is not a one-time chance observation.
V -7* :.
... .v ..m
The fibers were v__
c I 1 I r~T... ..
the basis of their morphological structure.
In searching for the sources of these ubiquitous fibers, Cralley
et al. (9) reported that t
..
co...
*U. S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare Public Healtli Service National Center for Urban and Industrial Health Occupational Health Program 1014 Broadway, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
Presented at the American Industrial Hygiene Conference May 13-17, 1968. Preprinted by permission of The American Industrial Hygiene Association Journal.
I
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-2i . _ )tnd was a potential source of the ferruginous bodies observed in the lungs of humans. This observation led to further study to characterize cosmetic talcum products.
The major purpose of the investigation reported here was to develop and present data on some of the constituents found in cosmetic talcum products and to discuss their health aspects in the light of today's knowledge. It is not our intent to make a general appraisal of health factors in the use of talcum products because of the many variables involved and the limited data available on the consumption of various "sources of talcs" in the formu lation and use of cosmetic talcum products. The potential health aspects of some of the data, however, are discussed.
Twenty-two cosmetic talcum products (representing body powder, bath powder, and all purpose powder) purchased off-the-shelf, were analyzed for fibrous content, selected metals, and quartz. The data and a discussion of their possible significance follow.
Analysis of Talcum Products Talc is a natural mineral, hydrous magnesium silicate, with the general formula (OH) Mg3Si^O^q. Talc mineral is formed by the hydrothermal alteration of serpentine and tremolite or directly from' unserpentinized ultrabasic rocks. Talc may also be formed by the thermal meta morphism of silicous dolomites (10-12). The characteristics of the mineral
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-3-
deposits v;u-y widely from the pure lute formula and from each other
according to the mineralogy involved. - ____ ._________
1. ~~ ..... -
'or other
basic material from which the talc may be derived. The deposits may also
ar.. ....1 Cosmetic talcum may be basically pure talc or may be a formulation of talc with other materials such as clay, chalk, stearates, etc. Zinc, titanium, manganese, and iron compounds may be added as pigments and opacifiers.
The particle-size distribution and per cent by count of fibers in the talcum particulates w'ere determined by dispersing the talcum in water, filtering the mixture through an "AA" membrane filter, and measuring with a phase contrast microscope at 430 magnification. The per cent of free silica was determined by X-ray diffraction. Cobalt, chromium, nickel, and manganese w'ere determined by means of atomic absorption spectro photometry. Zirconium, titanium, zinc, iron, and magnesium were deter mined by means of semi-quantitative emission spectrography.
Table I gives analytical data on 22 different cosmetic talcum products. Size Distribution of Talcum Particulates
Seven of the twenty-two talcum products were selected for sizedistribution measurements of the fibrous and non-fibrous particulate com ponents.
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in these samples
The diameter of SO to 95% of all the particulatcs/was under 5.0
microns (ju). The median of the diameter of the non-fibrous particulates
in the seven products ranged from 0.7 to 2.0;u, with a median average
around 1. 0 u. / A fiber is defined as a particulate having at least a 1:3 ratio of
diameter to length. The fibrous particulates in the seven products were
generally under 1. 0 u in diameter, with lengths ranging from 1.5 to 6. 0 u.
The 22 talcum products analyzed showed fiber contents ranging from
8 to 30% by count of the total talcum particulates with an average of 19%.
Although the specific fibrous materials were not identified, they were pre
dominantly fibrous talc, as shown by X-ray diffraction, with the probable
presence in minor amounts of other fibrous minerals such as tremolite,
anthophylite, chrysotile, and pyrophyllite.
The electron microscope, with its higher power of resolution, shows
a number of submicron diameter particulates not visible by means of phase
contrast microscopy, as-indicatedfc-the-accompanying-electron-photemicr---
graphs.
Free Silica
In 8 of the 22 talcum products (Table I), the presence of quartz ranged
from 0.3 to 1. 0%; in 13 products, 1.2 to 3. 0% quartz, and in 1 product,
54.4% quartz.
1 I
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-5 Metals
With the exception of talcum products No, 4, 8, and 22 (Table I), the cobalt content of the products analyzed was under 25 parts per million (ppm), chromium under 22 ppm, nickel under 29 ppm, and manganese under 78 ppm. Product No.4 had a nickel content of 1270 ppm; chromium 340 ppm; and cobalt, 67 ppm. Product No. 8 contained 479 ppm nickel and 329 ppm chromium. Product No. 22 contained 1210 ppm nickel and 1170 chromium. Qualitative tests showed some of the chromium in the talcum products to be in the hexavalent state. The nickel, chromium, cobalt, and manganese in the talcum products may have come from the talc mineral deposit (10) or from the alloy metals of the pulverizing equipment used in reducing the talc (13).
The zirconium content of the products were all under 10 milligrams per gram (mg/gm) except for products No. 9 and 17, which had 20 and 30 mg/gm respectively. The titanium, zinc, and iron ranged from a few tenths to 50 mg/gm of talcum and were probably present as pigments or opacifiers. The magnesium content of the products were all over 19 mg/gm, except for product No. 9 which had only 0.5 mg/gm. The magnesium was probably present as an additive '.n the formulation or as a part of the talc molecule or other amphiboles in the products.
The aluminum and silicas were in all probability associated either
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-6with the talc molecule, or additives such as koalin, or the base material from which the talc was derived.
Known Health Effects of Talc Much of our knowledge of the health effects of talc is derived from studies of occupational exposures in its mining, milling, and industrial use. In extrapolating this lcnowledge to the cosmetic use of talcum powder, it must be recognized that the pattern of exposures in the use of talcum prod ucts varies markedly from person to person, not only in frequency of use but also in amount and in location. In contrast to industrial exposures where the pattern is likely to be more continuous with accompanying peaks, exposure in the use of cos metic talcum products is very intermittent with peak exposures dominating. The exposure pattern may continue a lifetime, especially if the use of talcum is established in the earlier years as a part of personal habits. The
'that have however* i J LC-irom-ihe-use x>L.c.os. .eiictalcum productiT^ Mining, Milling. and Industrial Use ul.~ clinical entity nr' mlo pne-nrnnonninsis!'talcasis,!lh.is_bee.r<____ J cbs'ervfe'd-repeatedly 1nworke'rT \mn~Torig exdosiix& m rale in its mining, ? V-T.iilmgr a"d in-rds:rTa?~use~7i4^15.16.17). Elongated, terminally clubbed pulmonary fibrous bodies, both segmented and unsegmented and similar in
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morphology 10 ferruginous bodies, have been found in tale workers, but
these workers had received a mixed exposure -- to talc, tremolite,
anthophyllite, and silica (18,19). In __
'v: mptrliF r\.t
w-.-aio-: general population. Jin pulmonary cancer from asbestos, the role of fibers and trace metals is uncertain. Some investigators have assumed the fibers play a dominant and direct role; more recent investi gations indicate that the fibers may have been only an index concealing a spectrum of unidentified agents and relationships (13). Surgical and Cosmetic Use
c'.tiy rotor;jc cn:ni..,c-u3 reactions ir-vm the use'orTal^'Urnp'vwrler----^ arc"*^~Ji'ahul'o?aas~" TJnd these have been rare "(21,22). Talcum powder, however, is no longer used on surgical gloves and should not be applied to broken skin. Occasionally, perfume oils used in talcum powder formulations . sensitize the skin and produce dermatitis (23,24).
Conclusions With the exception of 4 of the 22 cosmetic talcum products analyzed, the levels of free silica, cobalt, nickel, chromium, and manganese were generally of a low magnitude and within a narrow range. It is not known whether the four products represent a significant proportion of sales in the industry or to what extent the sources of the talc in these four formulations are the same as sources of talc specified for use in other talcum products
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-8in the competitive market. The levels of silica, chromium, and nickel in these four products are sufficiently high, .however, to be of concern in their potential to cause disease.
!AI1 of :he 22 crJcuin_uro5u'efS'aT.alyzed- have "a iFapprVciit'ilv
l^S'3-"
ing
jfhe fibrous material was predominantly talc but
probably contained minor amounts of fT'~" v 'F-^tlFvhvliuc-. a'.'^i'ckrvso^~~y
! tile-p tjjsc- arc efien prosem: in fibre::s tal'cjvineraTdcposi;s.
_7
r:dca,'.i.prpduc:s should be i.'cli^ed_as.a.soin'ce o; ihe fibers, :rc:n which
if.uv hi derived ferruginous bodies observed in ihc ler.ge of humans./' The
meaning of the presence of these ferruginous bodies, however, is uncertain.
Industry has the know-how to safely handle fibrous material as well
as toxic metals such as nickel, chromium, cobalt, and manganese once
adequate criteria have been established. Unknown significant amounts of
such materials in products that may be used without precautions may create
an unsuspected problem. For this reason continued research and investi
gations and communication of findings are necessary in this area.
Acknowledgements
The authors acknowledge, with appreciation, the technical assistance
of Harrold B. Norris who made the free silica determinations; Patricia L.
Maurer who made the atomic absorption spectrophotometric determinations
for nickel, cobalt, chromium, and manganese; John R. Carlberg who made
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-9the emission speetrographic determinations for zirconium, titanium, zinc, iron, magnesium, and aluminum; and Stephen Bayer and Ralph Zumwalde for the per cent fiber analysis.
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References 1. Marchand, F.: Uber Eigcntumliche Pigmontkristalle in Den Lungen,
Verh Dtsch Path. Ges.. 10: 223 (1906). 2. Thomson, J.G., R. O. C. Kasciula, and R. R. MacDonald: Asbestosis
as a Mbdern Urban Hazard. S. Afr.Med.J. T7: 77 (Jan. 1963). 3. Thomson, J.G., andW.M. Graves, Jr.: Asbestos as an Urban Air
Contaminant. Arch, of Path. 81: 458 (May 1966). 4. Cauma, D., R.S. Totten, and P. Gross: Asbestos Bodies in Human
Lungs at Autopsy. J. Amer. Med. Assoc. 192: 371 (May 1965). 5. Webster, L: Annual Report of the Pneumoconiosis Research Unit
of the South African Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Johannesburg, South Africa (1965). 6. Meurman, Lauri: Asbestos Bodies and Pleural Plaques in a Finnish Series of Autopsy Cases. Acta Path. Microbiol. Scand., Supplementum 181 (1966). 7. Anjilvel, L., andW.M. Thurlbeck: The Incidence of Asbestos Bodies in the Lungs at Random Necropsies in Montreal. Canad. Med. Assoc, j; 95: 1179 (Dec. 1965). 8. Cooper, W. C., and L Tabershaw: To be published. 9. Cralley, L.J., R.G. Keenan, J. R. Lynch, andW.S. Lainhart: Source and Identification of Respirable Fibers. Amer. Indus. Hyg. Assoc, J. 29: (Mar.-Apr. 1968).
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-11 10. Deer, W. A., R. A. Howie, and J. Zassman: Rock-Forming Minerals.
Vol. 3, Sheet Silicates, p. 126, John Wiley and Sons, Inc. 11. Kirk, R.E., D.F. Othmer: Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology.
The Interscience Publishers, Inc. New York 13: 565 (1954). 12. Ibid. 6: 357 (1965). 13. Cralley, L.J., R.G. Keenan, andJ.R. Lynch: Exposure to Metals
in the Manufacture of Asbestos Textile Products. Amer. Indus. Hyg. Assoc. J. 28: 452 (1967). 14. Hogue, W. L., Jr., and F.S. Mallette: A Study of Workers Exposed to Talc and Other Dusting Compounds in the Rubber Industry. J. Indus. Hyg. & Toxicol. 31; 359 (1949). 15. Messite, J., G. Reddin, and M. Kleinfeld: Pulmonary Talcosis, a Clinical and Environmental Study, AMA Arch. Indus. Health 20: 408 (1959). 16. Schepers, G. W. H., and T. M. Durkan: The Effects of Inhaled TalcMining Dust on the Human Lung. AMA Arch. Indus. Health 12: 182 (1955). 17. Seder, A.O., J.S. Gryboski, andH.E. Macmahon: Talc Pneumoconiosis. AMA Arch. Indus. Health 19: 392 (1959). 18. Kleinfeld, M., C.P. Giel, J.F. Majeranowski, and J. Messite: Talc Pneumoconiosis: A Report of 6 Patients with Postmortem Findings. Arch. Environ. Health 7.: 101 (1963).
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- 12 19. Kipling, M.D., and A. O. Bech: Talc Pneumoconiosis. Trans.
Assoc. Indus. Med. Officers 10_: 85 (1960). 20. Kleinfeld, M., J. Messite, M, Zaki, and O. Kooyman: Mortality
Among Talc Miners and Millers in New York State. Arch. Environ. Health 14: 663 (1967). 21. Lichtman, A. L. , J.R. McDonald, C.F. Dixon, and F. C. Mann: Talc Granuloma. Surg. Gynec. & Obst. 83_: 531 (1946). 22. Tye, M.J. , K. Hashimoto, and F. Fox: Talc Granulomas of the Skin. J. Amer. Med. Assn. 198: 1370 (1966). 23. Burks, J.W.: Dermatitis Due to Cosmetics. Southern Med. J. 55: 1006 (1963). 24. Spoor, H. J.: Skin Reactions to Cosmetics: Classifications and Diagnosis. New York J. Med. 60: 1940 (1960).
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40
CO
>100
30 40 10
15 12 40
Table I . , Designated Analyses of Cosmetic Talcum Products
*M icrogram of metal per gram of sample, Milligram of element per gram of sample.
to to to 3
rH
rH
CO A
W <* IS rH
O
rH
* .A
A
5
bfl
o
to
o
o
rH
t-
CO
rH
rH
rH
03 rH
rH
rH
rH
rH
rH
rH
rH
rH
Go
N S5
Q oQ
2&
Q C3 rH
Q a &
H 05 CO CO 03 rH t!< CO
CO
ooO
01
rH rH
*4 N rH
V
o 03 rH
V
rH
V
G
rH
CO
CO
to to
rH
CO rH
rH
rH
rH
rH
rH
C'
CO rH
rH
CO
V
*PC Oo.i
CO rH
O tH
o
o o03
0 rH
rH
O rH
rH
03
CrH
rH
rH
rH
rH
rH
?-->#l
rH
C3 rH
rH
V rH
V VV
rH
u
o
05
rH
V
o
rH
V
o
03
rH
V
rH
rH
V
03
Q *-r
rH
V
rH
rH
V
rH
O
rH
V
rH rH
V
rH
V
O
rH
V
rH
0-
rH rH
o o
CmO
OiH
O
rH
t-
rH
rH 03
Q J?r
rH rH
rH
O
rH
Q 2
rH
rH
rH rH
rH
rH
rH
O
rH
rH
VV
V
VV
V VV V V
es
O uo
CQ
CO
o
O
03
O
03 03
rH
rH 03
eo
rH
rH
c-
rH
rH
rH
rH
C-
rH
O rH
rH
O
CQ
05
rH
rH 0*
C0O3
rH
CO
rH
rH
rH
rH 03
rH
rH
rH
CO rH
O
rH
rH
o
Ea s 44 o O rH CO
a Ei
TO3
a
to
fc-
rH
rH rH
rH
rH
rH
rH
rH
C*
rH
rH
rH
rH
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