Skip to main content

Airborne exposure to chemical substances in hairdresser salons

Environmental Monitoring and Assessment volume 153, Article number: 83 (2009) Cite this article

Abstract

Several studies indicate health problems among hairdressers to be related to their chemical exposure at work. The purpose of this study was to describe the exposure of chemical compounds in the air of Spanish hairdresser salons, and to study differences between salons in central and suburban areas. Ten hairdresser salons were examined for two days, by recording number and type of customers, ventilation and size of salon. Both stationary and personal borne samples for organic compounds were collected, as well as stationary samples of ammonia. TVOC was calculated. Air temperature, relative humidity, CO and CO2 were logged for 48 h in each salon. Fifty-six personal and 28 stationary samples were analysed for organic compounds. Thirty-five different air-borne compounds were found in the working environment of the hairdressers. All levels were well below the limit values in Spain and USA, both for ammonia and organic compounds. TVOC ranged from 48.37 mg/m3 to 237.60 mg/m3, meaning that many salons had levels above suggested comfort values of 25. There were only minor differences in exposure between central and suburban salons. No salons had ventilation systems, and the CO2 was increasing during the day. The exposure was higher for several chemical compounds when hair dying was performed. Hairdressers were exposed to low air levels of a large number of chemical substances mostly related to work related to hair dying. There were no differences between exposure levels in salons in central and suburban areas.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

43,34 €

Price includes VAT (Finland)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

References

  • Albin, M., Rylander, L., Mikoczy, Z., Lillienberg, L., Dahlman Hoglund, A., Brisman, J., et al. (2002). Incidence of asthma in female Swedish hairdressers. Occupational & Environmental Medicine, 59, 119–123.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists: TLVs. (2004). Valores Límite para Sustancias Químicas y Agentes Físicos en el ambiente de trabajo e Índices Biológicos de Exposición para 2004. Versión autorizada en castellano y editada por la Consejería de Trabajo y Asuntos Sociales de la Generalidad Valenciana. Valencia.

  • Anderson, J. (2000). The chemistry of hair colorants. Journal of the Society of Dyers and Colourists, 116, 193–196.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Andersson, K., Bakke, J. V., Bjørseth, O., Bornehag, C. G., Clausen, G., Hongslo, J. K., et al. (1997). TVOC and health in non-industrial indoor environments. Indoor Air, 7, 78–91.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bornehag, C. G., Sundell, J., Weschler, C. J., Sigsgaard, T., Lundgren, B., Hasselgren, M., et al. (2004). The association between asthma and allergic symptoms in children and phthalates in house dust: A nested case-control study. Environmental Health Perspectives, 112, 1393–1397.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Czene, K., Tiikkaja, S., & Hemminki, K. (2003). Cancer risk in hairdressers: Assessment of carcinogenicity of hair dyes and gels. International Journal of Cancer, 105, 108–112.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Descatha, A., Jenabian, A., Conso, F., & Ameille, J. (2005). Occupational exposures and haematological malignancies: Overview on human recent data. Cancer Causes Control 2005, 16, 939–953.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Evci, E. D., Bilgin, M. D., Akgör, S., Zencirci, S. G., Ergin, F., & Beser, E. (2007). Measurement of selected indoor physical environmental factors in hairdresser salons in a Turkish City. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 134(1–3), 471–477.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gago-Dominguez, M., Castelao, E. C., Yuan, J. M., & Ross, R. K. (2001). Use of permanent hair dyes and bladder-cancer risk. International Journal of Cancer, 91, 575–579.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • García, A. M. (1999). Condiciones de trabajo y reproducción: un recorrido por las evidencias. Archivos de prevención de riesgos laborales, 2, 19–25.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gold, E. B., Tomich, E. (1994).Occupational hazards to fertility and pregnancy outcome. In: Gold EB, Lasley BL, Schenker M (eds) Reproductive hazards. Occupational Medicine State of the Art Review 1994, 9: 435–469.

  • Health and Safety Executive (1994). Standard International Classification. http://www.hse.gov.uk/statisctics/employment/sic.htm. Accessed 8 May 2008.

  • Hollund, B. E., & Moen, B. E. (1998). Chemical exposure in hairdresser salons: effect of local exhaust ventilation. Annals of Occupational Hygiene, 42, 277–282.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hollund, B. E., Moen, B. E., Lygre, S. H., Florvaag, E., & Omenaas, E. (2001). Prevalence of airway symptoms among hairdressers in Bergen, Norway. Occupational & Environmental Medicine, 58, 780–785.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Instituto Nacional de Seguridad e Higiene en el trabajo. (2007). Límites de exposición profesional para agentes químicos en el trabajo. Madrid.

  • International Agency on Research on Cancer Monographs (1999). Re-evaluation of some organic chemicals, hydrazine and hydrogen peroxide dichloromethane. IARC, Geneva, 71, 255.

    Google Scholar 

  • International Agency on Research on Cancer Monographs (2000). Some industrial chemicals. IARC; Geneva, 77, 36.

    Google Scholar 

  • International Standard ISO 16000-6. (2004). Indoor air. Part 6: Determination of volatile organic compounds in indoor and test chamber air by active sampling on Tenax TA sorbent, thermal desoption and gas chromatography using MS/FID.

  • Iorizzo, M., Parente, G., Vincenzi, C., Pazzaglia, M., & Tosti, A. (2002). Allergic contact dermatitis in hairdressers: frequency and source of sensitisation. European Journal of Dermatology, 12, 179–182.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kenyon, E. M., Kraichely, R. E., Hudson, K. T., & Medinsky, M. A. (1996). Differences in rates of benzene metabolism correlate with observed genotoxicity. Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, 136, 49–56.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kersemaekers, W. M., Roeleveld, N., & Zielhuis, G. A. (1995). Reproductive disorders due to chemical exposure among hairdressers. Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health, 21, 325–334.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kersemaekers, W. M., Roeleveld, N., & Zielhuis, G. A. (1997). Reproductive disorders among hairdressers. Epidemiology, 8, 396–401.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Labreche, F., Forest, J., Trottier, M., Lalonde, M., & Simard, R. (2003). Characterization of chemical exposures in hairdressing salons. Applied Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, 18, 1014–1021.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Leino, T., Kahkonen, E., Saarinen, L., Henriks-Eckerman, M. L., & Paakkulainen, H. (1999). Working conditions and health in hairdressing salons. Applied Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, 14, 26–33.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Leino, T., Tammilehto, L., Hytonen, M., Sala, E., Paakkulainen, H., & Kanerva, L. (1998). Occupational skin and respiratory diseases among hairdressers. Scand J Work Environ Health, 24, 398–406.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lind, M. L., Boman, A., Sollenberg, J., Johnson, S., Hagelthorn, G., & Meding, B. (2005). Occupational dermal exposure to permanent hair dyes among hairdressers. Annals of Occupational Hygiene, 49, 473–80.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Matura, M., Goossens, A., Bordalo, O., Garcia-Bravo, B., Magnusson, K., Wrangsjo, K., et al. (2002). Oxidized citrus oil (R-limonene): a frequent skin sensitizer in Europe. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 47, 709–714.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mølhave, I., Clausen, G., Berglund, B., DeCeaurriz, J., Kettrup, A., Lindvall, T., et al. (1997). Total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) in indoor air quality investigations. Indoor Air, 7, 225–240.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mounier-Geyssant, E., Oury, V., Mouchot, L., Paris, C., & Zmirou-Navier, D. (2006). Exposure of hairdressing apprentices to airborne hazardous substances. Environ Health: A Global Access Science Source, 5, 23.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Muiswinkel, W. J., van Kromhout, H., Onos, T., & Kersemaekers, W. M. (1997). Monitoring and modelling of exposure to ethanol in hairdressing salons. Annals of Occupational Hygiene, 41, 235–247.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Muller, C. (2006). Liver, alcohol and gender. Wiener Medizinische Wochenschrift, 156, 523–526.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Muñoz, X., Cruz, M. J., Orriols, R., Bravo, C., Espuga, M., & Morell, F. (2003). Occupational asthma due to persulfate salts. Chest, 123, 2124–2129.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sato, A. (1993). Confounding factors in biological monitoring of exposure to organic solvents. International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health, 65, S61–67.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sorahan, T., Kinlen, L. J., & Doll, R. (2005). Cancer risks in a historical UK cohort of benzene exposed workers. Occupational & Environmental Medicine, 62, 231–236.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Air and Radiation. (1989). Report to Congress on Indoor Air Quality, Volume II: Assessment and Control of Indoor Air Pollution. EPA, 4–14. 400-1-89-001C.

  • Van der Wal, J. F., Hoogeveen, A. W., Moons, A. M. M., & Wouda, P. (1997). Investigation on the exposure of hairdressers to chemical agents. Environment International, 23, 433–439.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wennborg, H., Magnusson, L. L., Bonde, J. P., & Olsen, J. (2005). Congenital malformations related to maternal exposure to specific agents in biomedical research laboratories. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 47, 11–19.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Affiliations

  1. Public Health Department, University of Alicante, Ap. de Correos, 99-03080, Alicante, Spain

    Elena Ronda

  2. X-lab AS, Bergen, Norway

    Bjorg Eli Hollund

  3. Section for Occupational Medicine, Department of Public Health and Primary Health Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway

    Bente E. Moen

Authors
  1. Elena Ronda
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Bjorg Eli Hollund
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Bente E. Moen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Elena Ronda.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ronda, E., Hollund, B.E. & Moen, B.E. Airborne exposure to chemical substances in hairdresser salons. Environ Monit Assess 153, 83 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-008-0338-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-008-0338-y

Keywords

  • Dyes
  • Hairdressers
  • Temperature
  • TVOC