Potential Environmental Risks by Cleaning Hair and Skin

The published scientific knowledge of the impact of personal care products (PCPs) on the environment was recently summarised by Daughton and Ternes (1999) and Daughton and Jones-Lepp (2001). Specific attention has been paid to musk compounds and their occurrence in and effects on the environment (e.g. Balk and Ford 1999a,b). A very comprehensive compilation of toxicological and ecotoxicological data on household detergents and cosmetic detergent products was published by Madsen et al. (2001). Nevertheless, there is still a considerable lack of knowledge about occurrence, fate and potential effects of PCPs in the environment (Ternes et al. 2003). In this chapter, we will have a closer look at environmental effects of three related groups of PCPs: shampoos, shower gels and foam baths (SSBs).