Abstract
Several researches have reported considerable levels of phnolic compounds (bisphenol A (BPA), benzophenones (BP-1, BP-3) and triclosan (TCS)) in cosmetic/beauty products. However, there is limited data regarding the exposure of female beauticians to harmful substances. The present research aimed to evaluate the exposure of female salon workers to these pollutants by quantifying their urinary levels. To achieve this, 50 female beauticians were selected as the exposed group (EG) and a control group (CG) consisting of 35 housewives. Urine specimens were collected and analyzed by chromatographic techniques to determine the pollutants content. It was found that all pollutants (BPA, BP-1, BP-3 and TCS) were frequently detected in the urine samples of female beauticians. It was also observed that the levels of these contaminants in the samples collected from this occupational group was significantly higher than housewives (Pvalue < 0. 05). The median of urinary BPA, BP-1, BP-3 and TCS concentrations for exposed subjects before the shift were 4.76, 2.57, 2.1 and 8.75 ng/mL, respectively. However, higher levels of these compounds were found in urine samples collected after the shift with medians of 5.25, 3.1, 2.65 and 11.96 ng/mL, respectively. For control group, these records were 1.66, 0.76, 0.22 and 2.12 ng/mL, respectively. Based on multiple linear regression (MLR) test, it was also showed that “cosmetic products usage” and “personal protective equipment (PPE)” are leadings factors contributing to the levels of BPA, BP-1, BP-3 and TCS detected in the urine of the female beauticians. These observations underscore the urgent necessity for more severe regulations and improved safety protocols to minimize exposure to hazardous chemicals in beauty salon settings.
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Acknowledgements
AcknowledgmentThe authors would like to express their sincere gratitude to the Bushehr University of Medical Sciences (Grant number: 2470) and the Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences (Grant number: 4020686) for their financial support.
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The authors would like to express their sincere gratitude to the Bushehr University of Medical Sciences (Grant number: 2470) and the Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences (Grant number: 4020686) for their financial support.
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The research was designed and supervised by Hossein Arfaeinia, Masoud Moradi and Farshid Soleimani. Sampling was done by Farshid Soleimani and Hossein Arfaeinia . Experiments and data collection were done by Hossein Arfaeinia, Farshid Soleimani, and Nazir Fattahi . Niloufar Borhani Yazdi and Nazir Fattahi were the advisor of the study. Sima Afrashteh and Maryam Mansouri performed the statistical analysis and Masoud Moradi, Maryam Mansouri and Niloufar Borhani Yazdi wrote the first draft of the manuscript. The final manuscript was reviewed and approved by all the authors.
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Moradi, M., Mansouri, M., Yazdi, N.B. et al. Urinary levels of phenolic compounds in women working in beauty salons. Sci Rep (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-39589-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-39589-y
