Determination of Selected Phthalates by Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry in Personal Perfumes

includes measurement of phthalates, known to be major sources of endocrine disruptor chemicals(EDC), which originate from the less volatile fraction of perfumes. The quantification ofphthalates were carried out directly with no sample preparation required on 30 samples ofcommercial products using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC-MS) as a detector.The total concentrations of 15 investigated compounds ranged from 17 to 9650 mg/Lwith an average of 2643 mg/L. The highest total concentration was found in cologne. Diethylphthalate (DEP), diisobutyl phthalate (DiBP), di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), and di-n-butylphthalate (DBP) were detected in appreciable concentrations. Further, it was found that thecomposition of counterfeit samples varied widely from that of authentic products. The compositionof old products was different from that of recent perfumes, which contain less harmfulchemicals, attributed to the ban on some phthalates in Europe due their toxicity. It should benoted that older and contaminated products are not equivalent to authentic products whenconsidering quality, safety, and probably effectiveness. Older and nonapproved perfumescontain chemicals that are not allowed for commercial use and may contain toxic impurities.