COSMETICS AND BATHROOM PRODUCTS:NAILPOLISHREMOVER

NAILPOLISHREMOVER

Most commercial nail polish removers consist mainly of volatile organic solvents such as ethyl acetate (CH3COOC2H5), a common solvent for the polish itself, or acetone (CH3COCH3). Acetone is the simplest of ketones (a class of organic compounds) and is also known as dimethyl ketone, propanone, or (3-ketopropane. It is a colorless liquid with a dis- tinct smell and taste. It evaporates easily, is flammable, and dissolves completely in water and organic solvents. Since it may be used to dis- solve other substances, care must be used when applying acetone-based nail polish remover to the nails because the product may also remove nearly any other type of paint or varnish. Acetone may also dissolve the surface layer of linoleum and most floor tile. As well as its use as a nail polish remover, acetone has many industrial uses. For example, it is used as a gelatinizing agent in explosives and in the manufacture of plastics, fibers (e.g., rayon), and drugs and other chemicals (e.g., rubber cement and some cleaning fluids). While acetone is a manufactured product, it is also found naturally in plants, trees, volcanic gases, forest fires, and as a product of the breakdown of body fat. It is also present in vehicle exhaust, tobacco smoke, landfills, and hazardous waste sites. A large percentage of the acetone released during its manufacture or use enters the atmosphere, and approximately half of the total amount is degraded via sunlight or other chemicals during the period of a calendar month. It can move from the atmosphere into water or soil via precipitation, where microorganisms may eventually break it down. Human exposure to a small amount of acetone will result in its chemical breakdown by the liver. However, breathing moderate to high levels of acetone, a known neurotoxin, for short periods of time may cause nose, throat, lung, and/ or eye irritation, headaches, confusion, increased pulse rate, nausea, vomiting, and possibly coma. Swallowing very large amounts of acetone may result in unconsciousness and damage to skin within the mouth.

Because acetone contact with the skin may result in irritation and der- mal damage, nail polish removers containing acetone usually also contain emollients such as mineral oil, castor oil, or lanolin to prevent the nails and surrounding skin from becoming dry and devoid of natural oils. These oils also decrease the evaporation time of the volatile paint-removing sol- vents, thereby allowing more time for the product to work efficiently.

Nail polish removers may also contain ingredients such as general sol- vents (e.g., propylene carbonate), products found in commercial paint strippers (e.g., dimethyl glutarate, dimethyl succinate, and dimethyl adi- pate), emollients and moisturizers (e.g., glycerin and panthenol), preser- vatives (e.g., propylene glycol), vitamins (e.g., dl-a-tocopheryl acetate [vitamin E]), fragrance, and coloring dyes. Some brands also contain a chemical called denatonium benzoate (C28H34N2O3), one of the most bitter-tasting substances known. Since most humans have a natural aversion to ingesting highly bitter chemicals, this substance is often added to toxic household liquid products to decrease accidental poisoning via swallowing of substantial amounts.