Environmental Concerns

Daughton CG, Ternes T A. Pharmaceuticals and personal care products in the environment: agents of subtle change? Environ Health Perspect. 1999 Dec; 107 Suppl 6:907-38. Review.

"Fragrances (musks) are ubiquitous, persistent, bioaccumulative pollutants that are sometimes highly toxic; amino musk transformation products are toxicologically significant. "

Winkler et al. (104) measured musks in 31 particulate matter and water samples from the Elbe River, Germany. In all particulate matter samples, concentrations for musk ketone were 4-22 ng/g, for Galaxolide 148-736 ng/g, and for Tonalide 194-770 ng/g; Celestolide was found at concentrations of 4-43 ng/g in 23 of the particulate matter samples. The values for the three most prevalent musks were within the same order of magnitude as those for 15 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and exceeded those for 14 common polychlorinated organic pollutants (only hexachlorobiphenyl [HCB] and p,p´-DDT were of similar concentration). Also found in all the 31 water samples were musk

ketone (2-10 ng/L), Galaxolide (36-152 ng/L), and Tonalide (24-88 ng/L); Celestolide was found only at 2-8 ng/L. These higher values exceeded those for all the polychlorinated organics and the PAHs. The occurrences of individual musks are sometimes correlated as a result of their use as mixtures in commercial products. In Germany, the nitro musks are being replaced by the polycyclic musks, therefore resulting in lower concentrations for musk ketone (104).

Kallenborn R, et al. Gas chromatographic determination of synthetic musk compounds in Norwegian air samples, Journal of Chromatography A, 846 (1999) 295-306

Abstract:
"A new method is described for the simultaneous analysis of nitro and polycyclic musks in air samples. Additional considerations are given to the aspects of sample preparation and blank problems. For the first time concentration levels of synthetic musks in selected Norwegian air samples were determined. In a preliminary investigation using ambient air samples prepared for the determination of persistent organic pollutants, musk xylene concentrations were between 8 and 19 pg/m3. A new sample preparation for the simultaneous analysis of polycyclic and nitro musks is presented. Both GC-electron impact (EI) MS and GC-negative ion chemical ionisation (NICI) MS were compared as detection methods. GC¯EI-MS is to be preferred for the determination of synthetic musks since GC¯NICI-MS is not sensitive enough for the determination for polycyclic musks.

Blank problems occurred which have to be carefully considered during the whole work-up procedure. One indoor air sample was taken in the laboratory where the clean-up of the samples took place to evaluate laboratory air contamination. A concentration for 1,3,4,6,7,8-hexahydro-4,6,6,7,8,8-hexamethyl-cyclo[g]-2-benzopyrane of 2470 pg/m3 was found using gas chromatographic separation coupled with mass spectrometric detection in the electron impact mode (GC¯low-resolution EI-MS). A set of four ambient air samples taken nearby the institute facilities was analysed for both nitro and polycyclic musks. For polycyclic musks, concentrations up to 130 pg/m3 (GC¯EI-MS) were determined and for musk xylene a concentration maximum in ambient air samples 54 pg/m3 (low resolution EI-MS) was found. Critical considerations about laboratory contamination, clean-up and analysis of ambient air samples are given."

"The ambient air samples taken at Kjeller are in average higher contaminated than the Lista samples. In contrast to Lista, the sampling area in Kjeller is strongly influenced by a densely populated urban area, namely the Norwegian capital Oslo (the distance to the centre of Oslo is 25 km). In Lista an average concentration of 14 pg/m3 (n=10) was observed, whereas the Kjeller air average concentration was determined with 19 pg/m3 (n=3)." (pg 305)