LINEAR ALKYLBENZENE SULFONATE (LAS) - UNEP Chemicals

OECD SIDS LINEAR ALKYLBENZENE SULFONATE (LAS)
2) HERA. 2004. Linear Alkylbenzene Sulphonate, LAS. Human & Environmental
Risk Assessment on ingredients of European household cleaning products. Version
2.0, May 2004. http://www.heraproject.com/RiskAssessment.cfm
(c)
Methods: A comprehensive testing program was undertaken to evaluate consumer exposure to
dust from powdered enzyme detergent use in comparison with worker exposure at
factories. Airborne dust was collected in consumers’ homes during normal use of
laundry detergents. Consumer use of laundry products was then simulated in the
laboratory to permit collection of sufficient samples for analysis of the amount of
enzyme in detergent dust, and for detergent dust particle size distribution
determinations and persistence measurements. Representative commercial products
sold by Procter & Gamble were tested. Air sampling was carried out using an
electrostatic precipitator using a battery powered source and was conducted
continuously from the time each housewife began to pour laundry product for use
until she left the laundry area. The entry orifice of the sampling device was located at
a point spatially equivalent to the direction and distance from the housewife’s nose
from the point of dust generation. Laboratory simulation of consumer practices was
based on extensive consumer habits developed by a variety of conventional
techniques.
Remarks: The results of the in-home studies indicate that detergents contribute only 5% of the
dust present during the time detergents are dispensed for laundering, with the rest of
the dust believed to be mainly lint. Virtually all detergent dust (95%) settled in less
than 2 minutes. On average, there is 0.27 µg detergent dust exposure per cup of
product used for double-pour machine laundering.
Based on this amount, HERA (2004) calculated the amount of LAS exposure from
laundry detergent use. Up to 22% (0.06 µg/use) of the detergent dust can be
expected to be LAS. Assuming a worst case exposure (all dust is inhaled and
laundry is done 3 times a day), the exposure to LAS of an average adult is estimated
to be 0.003 µg/kg bw/day. This amount does not contribute significantly to the total
exposure of LAS as compared to the amount from inhalation of aerosols from
cleaning sprays, which is approximately 10-fold higher (0.04 µg/kg bw/day).
References: 1) Hendricks, M.H. 1970. Measurement of enzyme laundry detergent product dust
levels and characteristics in consumer use. J. Am. Oil Chem. Soc. 47:207-211.
2) HERA. 2004. Linear Alkylbenzene Sulphonate, LAS. Human & Environmental
Risk Assessment on ingredients of European household cleaning products. Version
2.0, May 2004. http://www.heraproject.com/RiskAssessment.cfm
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