Phthalate and Organophosphate Plasticizers in Nail Polish: Evaluation of Ingredients and Labels

In the last decade, nail polish manufacturers largely phased out use of the three widely publicized “toxic trio” chemicals, including the plasticizer dibutyl phthalate (DnBP). These “3-Free” nail polishes may instead contain the plasticizer triphenyl phosphate (TPHP), a possible endocrine disruptor. Nail polish users and majority-Vietnamese nail salon workers in the U.S. are vulnerable populations potentially exposed to these plasticizers. To better understand plasticizer ingredient substitution, this study aimed to 1) identify plasticizer-related nail polish product labels through online searches, and 2) measure levels of 12 phthalate and 10 organophosphate plasticizers in 40 nail polishes. The 40 samples comprised different colors from 12 brands selected based on popularity and label variety. Summary statistics and Wilcoxon rank sum tests were calculated for plasticizer levels, substituting half the detection limit for non-detect values. We identified 11 n-Free labels ranging fro...