Widening the Lens on UV Filters: Newfound Ubiquity of Triazine UV Filters in Breast Milk from South China and Implications for Augmented Cocktail Exposure in Infants

Our previous work demonstrated triazine UV filters (TA-UVFs) as an emerging class of abundant, ubiquitous pollutants in the indoor environment; however, information about human exposure to these novel chemicals remains unknown. In this study, 17 TA-UVFs as well as 9 benzotriazole (BTR)-UVFs and 6 benzophenone (BP)-UVFs were included in a comprehensive, dedicated screening in breast milk from South China. In addition to some previously unrecognized BTR- and BP-UVFs, 11 of the 17 TA-UVFs were detected for the first time in breast milk, with ethylhexyl triazone (EHT) and bis-ethylhexyloxyphenol methoxyphenyl triazine (BEMT) as the predominant, omnipresent pollutants in humans. The median total concentration of TA-UVFs reached 1350 pg/mL, which is nearly half that of BTR-UVFs (3080 pg/mL) or BP-UVFs (3220 pg/mL). More daily use of personal care products (>= 5 types) significantly elevated breast milk levels for all three classes of UVFs (p < 0.05) in the studied population. The overall daily intake of UVFs for infants via breast-feeding will substantially increase by 28% under the median exposure scenario if TA-UVFs are included in an integrative assessment. The current breast milk levels of TA-UVFs indicate a demand for additional monitoring and actions to reduce maternal and infant exposure to these emerging contaminants.

Automated summary

Breast milk in South China contains previously unidentified triazine UV filters (TA-UVFs), benzotriazole (BTR)-UVFs, and benzophenone (BP)-UVFs. The use of personal care products significantly affects the levels of these UV filters in breast milk. Including TA-UVFs in assessments could increase the overall daily intake of UV filters for infants through breastfeeding by 28%.