| Concentrations of the Sunscreen Agent Benzophenone-3 in Residents of the United States: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003–2004 Antonia M. Calafat, Lee-Yang Wong, Xiaoyun Ye, John A. Reidy, and Larry L. Needham Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA Abstract
Background: The capability of benzophenone-3 (BP-3) to absorb and dissipate ultraviolet radiation facilitates its use as a sunscreen agent. BP-3 has other uses in many consumer products (e.g., as fragrance and flavor enhancer, photoinitiator, ultraviolet curing agent, polymerization inhibitor) . Objectives: Our goal was to assess exposure to BP-3 in a representative sample of the U.S. general population ≥ 6 years of age. Methods: Using automated solid-phase extraction coupled to high-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry, we analyzed 2,517 urine samples collected as part of the 2003–2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Results: We detected BP-3 in 96.8% of the samples. The geometric mean and 95th percentile concentrations were 22.9 µg/L (22.2 µg/g creatinine) and 1,040 µg/L (1,070 µg/g creatinine) , respectively. Least-square geometric mean (LSGM) concentrations were significantly higher (p≤ 0.04) for females than for males, regardless of age. LSGM concentrations were significantly higher for non-Hispanic whites than for non-Hispanic blacks (p≤ 0.01) , regardless of age. Females were more likely than males [adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 3.5 ; 95% confidence interval (95% CI) , 1.9–6.5], and non-Hispanic whites were more likely than non-Hispanic blacks (adjusted OR = 6.8 ; 95% CI, 2.9–16.2) to have concentrations above the 95th percentile. Conclusions: Exposure to BP-3 was prevalent in the general U.S. population during 2003–2004. Differences by sex and race/ethnicity probably reflect differences in use of personal care products containing BP-3. Key words: benzophenone-3, biomonitoring, exposure, human, NHANES 2003–2004, sunscreen, urine. Environ Health Perspect 116:893–897 (2008) . doi:10.1289/ehp.11269 available via http://dx.doi.org/ [Online 21 March 2008]
Address correspondence to A.M. Calafat, Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy., NE, Mailstop F53, Atlanta, GA 30341 USA. Telephone: (770) 488-7891. Fax: (770) 488-4371. E-mail: Acalafat@cdc.gov Supplemental Material is available online at http://www.ehponline.org/members/2008/11269/suppl.pdf We thank J. Ekong for technical assistance. The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The authors declare they have no competing financial interests. Received 15 January 2008 ; accepted 21 March 2008.
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