Isothiazolinones are still widely used in paints purchased in five European countries: a follow-up study

TY - JOUR

T1 - Isothiazolinones are still widely used in paints purchased in five European countries

T2 - a follow-up study

AU - Thomsen, Andreas V

AU - Schwensen, Jakob F

AU - Bossi, Rossana

AU - Banerjee, Piu

AU - Giménez-Arnau, Elena

AU - Lepoittevin, Jean-Pierre

AU - Lidén, Carola

AU - Uter, Wolfgang

AU - White, Ian R

AU - Johansen, Jeanne D

N1 - © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

PY - 2018/4

Y1 - 2018/4

N2 - BACKGROUND: An increasing incidence of contact allergy to methylisothiazolinone (MI) has been seen, caused, in particular, by cosmetic products and paints. A study from 2015 showed that 93.0% of paints bought in five European countries contained MI. New regulations have been discussed for paints in the EU, which may have influenced this market.OBJECTIVES: To re-evaluate the use and concentrations of MI and four other isothiazolinones in water-based wall paints.METHODS: Water-based white wall paints (n = 60) were purchased in retail stores in five European countries: Denmark, France, Germany, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. The paints were analysed for isothiazolione content by the use of high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to ultraviolet detection, and the results were confirmed with high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.RESULTS: MI was identified in 55 (91.7%) of the paints, with concentrations ranging from 1.1 to 142.7 ppm. The other isothiazolinones were identified in 20.0% [methylchloroisothiazolinone (MCI)] to 88.3% [benzisothiazolinone (BIT)] of the paints. BIT concentrations varied significantly between countries, whereas MI and MCI concentrations did not. There were no statistically significant differences in MI, MCI and BIT concentrations between the current study and the 2015 study.CONCLUSIONS: MI and other isothiazolinones are widely used in paints available in Europe. Their use does not seem to be decreasing.

AB - BACKGROUND: An increasing incidence of contact allergy to methylisothiazolinone (MI) has been seen, caused, in particular, by cosmetic products and paints. A study from 2015 showed that 93.0% of paints bought in five European countries contained MI. New regulations have been discussed for paints in the EU, which may have influenced this market.OBJECTIVES: To re-evaluate the use and concentrations of MI and four other isothiazolinones in water-based wall paints.METHODS: Water-based white wall paints (n = 60) were purchased in retail stores in five European countries: Denmark, France, Germany, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. The paints were analysed for isothiazolione content by the use of high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to ultraviolet detection, and the results were confirmed with high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.RESULTS: MI was identified in 55 (91.7%) of the paints, with concentrations ranging from 1.1 to 142.7 ppm. The other isothiazolinones were identified in 20.0% [methylchloroisothiazolinone (MCI)] to 88.3% [benzisothiazolinone (BIT)] of the paints. BIT concentrations varied significantly between countries, whereas MI and MCI concentrations did not. There were no statistically significant differences in MI, MCI and BIT concentrations between the current study and the 2015 study.CONCLUSIONS: MI and other isothiazolinones are widely used in paints available in Europe. Their use does not seem to be decreasing.

U2 - 10.1111/cod.12937

DO - 10.1111/cod.12937

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 29265415

SN - 0105-1873

VL - 78

SP - 246

EP - 253

JO - Contact Dermatitis

JF - Contact Dermatitis

IS - 4

ER -