Assessing the Risk of Organophosphate Esters from Nail Polish: Indoor Emissions, Fate Modeling, and Health Risk Assessment

Abstract

Organophosphate esters (OPEs) are commonly used as plasticizers in nail polish. There is limited research on OPEs release from nail polish into the environment and the associated health risks. This study employed a volatilization simulator, and indoor fugacity modeling (ICECRM) was used to predict OPEs emissions and indoor concentrations from nail polish. The concentrations of 11 OPEs in nail polish ranged from 0.38 to 1254 μg/g, with TPHP accounting for 87% of the total concentration. Following the application of nail polish, the OPEs emission rate was observed to peak at 1320 ng/h after 2 min, decreasing by approximately 62% after 30 min, and by around 77% after 1 h. In comparison to emission rates from other indoor items, nail polish exhibited notably higher emission rates, significantly impacting the indoor environment during daily usage. The ICECRM model outcomes predicted that the total OPE concentration in the air would reach 582 ng/m³, while the concentration would be 148 μg/g in particulate matter and 63.2 μg/g in dust. The health risk assessment suggests a potential increased risk of cancer (10^–5) within the first hour of applying nail polish for nail salon workers. Therefore, this study strongly recommends proper ventilation and prompt cleaning of dust generated during nail polish application.