Introduction: Personal Care Products in the Aquatic Environment

This chapter presents an overview of the main aspects relating to the occurrence and impact of ingredients in personal care products to the aquatic environment: methodologies of analysis, prevalence data, elimination processes, threats to the aquatic ecosystem, effects on biota and legislation with a special focus in European regulation. Water is a valuable resource for the environment as well as for human activities. Although it covers most of the Earth’s surface, the amount of usable water is finite. Since ancient times until now, the use of water in human activities has been rapidly increasing along with the increase of the population, producing a continuous release of pollutants into the aquatic environment. Personal care products are a widely used group of substances that have been raising concerns during the last decades due to its continuous release into the environment and its proven effects (mostly on in vitro and in vivo assays) as a threat to all kinds of living organisms. Recent studies suggest that its continuous application on the skin or the intake of contaminated food may cause some concerning hazardous effects in human beings. In order to ensure the protection of this key ecosystem, a series of worldwide initiatives have been taking place during the last two decades, impelling monitoring programmes and governmental regulations worldwide. The common grounds of the European Union establish a series of regulations, such as the Water Framework Directive or the Regulation on Cosmetic Products, to protect both the environment and the consumer with revisable lists of regulated hazardous compounds.