Risk assessment study of dioxins in sanitary napkins produced in Japan

- We performed a risk assessment for dioxins in sanitary napkins produced in Japan.
- The concentrations of dioxins in sanitary napkins were measured using GC/MS.
- We selected the lowest value of TDI published by various assessment agencies.
- Our results show that there is no risk associated with dioxins in sanitary napkins.

A risk assessment study of dioxins in sanitary napkins produced in Japan was performed. The daily estimated exposure volume to dioxins was compared with the tolerable daily intake (TDI). The concentrations of dioxins such as polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (DL-PCBs) in seven sanitary napkins were measured using gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy analytical methods. Among the seven napkins, a range of 0.0044-0.076 pg TEQ/g dioxins was measured. Daily estimated exposure volume from sanitary napkins was calculated as follows: (dioxin volumes in a sanitary napkin (0.0044-0.076 pg TEQ/g) × pulp weight in a sanitary napkin (11.2 g) × used napkin numbers/d (7.5) × the number of days/month that women use sanitary napkins (7) × skin absorption rate (0.03) × used years (40))/(average body weight of women (50 kg) × the number of days in the month (30) × life years (86)). Daily exposure volumes were estimated to be 0.000024-0.00042 pg TEQ/kg/d. For hazard assessment, we used 0.7 pg TEQ/kg/d which was the lowest level of TDI among TDI values reported by international agencies. When the daily exposure volume was compared with the TDI, the former was approximately 1666-29,166 times less than the latter. This fact indicated that the risk of exposure to dioxins from sanitary napkins produced in Japan was negligible.