Safety assessment of commercial sanitary pads: Cytotoxicity, volatile organic compounds, and microplastics release

This study evaluated volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions, microplastic fiber shedding, and in vitro cytotoxicity of 29 commercial sanitary pads, and modeled potential user exposures. We analyzed ten VOCs released from pads using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, quantified microplastics shed, and performed cytotoxicity assays with cultured mammalian cells exposed to pad extracts and direct contact. Toluene was the only VOC detected (<0.04 – 2.79 μg·pad⁻¹) in the pads, but it appeared in 97 % (28 of 29) of all pads tested. Polypropylene microplastics (6–115 pad⁻¹) were detected in all tested sanitary pads. In vitro cytotoxicity tests indicated that pad materials can cause moderate reduction in cell viability (median 39 % reduction relative to control), suggesting the leaching of bioactive substances. The four pads whose extracts did not suppress cellular metabolism all bore an “organic” label for the cotton in their topsheets. Exposure modeling under a conservative scenario showed that estimated daily toluene exposure from pads are generally below the CalOSHA permissible exposure limit (time-weighted average) of 37 mg·m⁻³, although the release of microplastics has no current exposure limit. While our risk assessment suggests low health risks from VOCs, the presence of microplastics and cytotoxicity warrants further investigation. These findings underscore the need for greater transparency in pad composition and proactive evaluation of their safety for prolonged intimate use.