Overview
Key numbers
Table 2 reports tampon concentrations in ng/g. Lead was detected above the method detection limit in 60/60 samples, with a median of 173 ng/g, 25th to 75th percentile range of 50.8 to 215 ng/g, maximum of 468 ng/g, geometric mean of 120 ng/g, and geometric standard deviation of 2.24.
Cadmium was detected in 60/60 samples, with a median of 9.63 ng/g, 25th to 75th percentile range of 2.48 to 15.1 ng/g, maximum of 56.1 ng/g, geometric mean of 6.74 ng/g, and geometric standard deviation of 2.67.
Arsenic was detected above the method detection limit in 57/60 samples, with a median of 2.30 ng/g, 25th to 75th percentile range of 1.69 to 3.70 ng/g, maximum of 14.1 ng/g, geometric mean of 2.56 ng/g, and geometric standard deviation of 2.02. The paper reports total arsenic, not inorganic arsenic.
Other reported medians were 75.6 ng/g for nickel (Ni), less than the detection limit for chromium (Cr) because only 6/60 samples exceeded the MDL, less than the detection limit for mercury (Hg) because only 5/60 samples exceeded the MDL, 71.3 ng/g for Cu, 2,100 ng/g for Fe, 369 ng/g for Mn, 11.5 ng/g for Se, and 65,000 ng/g for Zn.
The authors report higher lead concentrations in non-organic tampons than organic tampons and lower cadmium (Cd), Co, and lead (Pb) concentrations in EU/UK-purchased tampons than US-purchased tampons. They did not identify a product category with consistently lower concentrations across all or most metals.
Methods (brief)
The study digested approximately 0.2 to 0.3 g from each tampon and measured arsenic (As), Ba, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Se, Sr, V, and Zn by ICP-MS. Duplicate subsamples were prepared from each tampon. Concentrations below the MDL were handled with machine-read values for descriptive statistics. Speciation was not performed, so arsenic is total arsenic and mercury is total mercury.
Implications
Microbiome: Not applicable.
Related evidence
- Menstrual tampons (scented/unscented; applicator tested as distinct component)
- Lead
- Cadmium
- Arsenic, Total
- Mercury, Total
- Nickel
- Chromium
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