Determining the exposure factors of personal and home care products for exposure assessment.

An accurate understanding of the usage patterns of consumer products is important for realistic exposure assessment. Since such patterns differ by country, a Korean national database for exposure factors is needed. We determined the exposure factors of 10 consumer products (face cleanser, toothpaste, shampoo, hair conditioner, body wash, dish and laundry detergents, fabric deodorizer, antistatic spray, and shoe polish. Field survey staff visited homes and collected product use information by questionnaire. In total, 816 men and 2517 women aged 15 years and older from 2500 households completed the questionnaire. Field technicians also re-visited 85 households to investigate the circumstances of use and the reliability of the questionnaire data. Greater than 97% of the sampled population reported use of toothpaste and shampoo. Hair conditioner, body wash, and face cleanser were used by ~60% of the population and by specific age groups and genders. The amount of consumer products used was comparable between that reported in the questionnaire and that measured directly during house visits, and the ratios of usage amounts ranged from 0.75 to 1.69. The exposure factor data obtained from this study could be useful for regulatory agencies when setting safety guidelines for product use.