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. 2023 Dec 5;57(48):19999-20009.
doi: 10.1021/acs.est.3c05156. Epub 2023 Nov 16.

Siloxane Emissions and Exposures during the Use of Hair Care Products in Buildings

Jinglin Jiang  1 , Xiaosu Ding  1 , Satya S Patra  1 , Jordan N Cross  1 , Chunxu Huang  1 , Vinay Kumar  2 , Paige Price  2 , Emily K Reidy  3 , Antonios Tasoglou  4 , Heinz Huber  5 , Philip S Stevens  2   3 , Brandon E Boor  1 , Nusrat Jung  1
Affiliations

Siloxane Emissions and Exposures during the Use of Hair Care Products in Buildings

Jinglin Jiang et al. Environ Sci Technol. .

Abstract

Cyclic volatile methyl siloxanes (cVMS) are ubiquitous in hair care products (HCPs). cVMS emissions from HCPs are of concern, given the potential adverse impact of siloxanes on the environment and human health. To characterize cVMS emissions and exposures during the use of HCPs, realistic hair care experiments were conducted in a residential building. Siloxane-based HCPs were tested using common hair styling techniques, including straightening, curling, waving, and oiling. VOC concentrations were measured via proton-transfer-reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometry. HCP use drove rapid changes in the chemical composition of the indoor atmosphere. cVMS dominated VOC emissions from HCP use, and decamethylcyclopentasiloxane (D5) contributed the most to cVMS emissions. cVMS emission factors (EFs) during hair care routines ranged from 110-1500 mg/person and were influenced by HCP type, styling tools, operation temperatures, and hair length. The high temperature of styling tools and the high surface area of hair enhanced VOC emissions. Increasing the hair straightener temperature from room temperature to 210 °C increased cVMS EFs by 50-310%. Elevated indoor cVMS concentrations can result in substantial indoor-to-outdoor transport of cVMS via ventilation (0.4-6 tons D5/year in the U.S.); thus, hair care routines may augment the abundance of cVMS in the outdoor atmosphere.

Keywords: chemical emissions; indoor air quality; personal care products; proton-transfer-reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometry (PTR-TOF-MS); siloxanes; volatile organic compounds.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing financial interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Net increase of the PTR-TOF-MS mass spectrum during experiment SA2.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Time-series of indoor mass concentrations for cVMS during the use of (a) hair care product A with hair straightening at 187.8 °C; (b) hair care product C with hair straightening at 187.8 °C; (c) hair care product C with hair curling at 182.2 °C; and (d) hair care product H, which was directly applied by the hands without heat. Data during outdoor PTR-TOF-MS sampling were removed from the plots (blank area).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Emission factors of cVMS emissions for (a) hair care products A to G using a hair straightener at 187.8 °C and hair care product H by hand at room temperature; “NP” represents “no product”; (b) different hair styling tools; (c) different temperatures for product C with a hair straightener; and (d) different hair lengths.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Time-series of (a) indoor D5 mass concentration during a 20 min hair care routine in a residential bathroom under three ventilation conditions; (b) cumulative D5 inhalation exposure during and after HCP application; and (c) cumulative indoor-to-outdoor D5 mass flux during and after HCP application. Annual (d) D5 indoor-to-outdoor VOC emissions per person and (e) D5 inhalation exposures for an adult with different HCP use frequencies per person.
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