Risk assessment of common household detergents: hazard identification and safety classification

Abstract

Household detergents are widely used for cleaning and sanitation, yet their complex chemical compositions can pose significant risks to human health and the environment due to the presence of toxic and poorly regulated ingredients. The aim of this study is to evaluate the safety profile of commercially available household detergents by identifying their primary ingredients, assessing their potential environmental and human health hazards, and proposing a classification scheme based on their associated risk levels. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was employed to identify the potential toxic ingredients in household detergents. At the same time, the heavy metal contents were determined using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), and the pH of each sample was also measured. Our results revealed the presence of various hazardous constituents, including sodium hypochlorite, dioxane, phosphates, nitrites, sulfinates, surfactants, formaldehyde-generating substances, and preservatives known to cause irritation, respiratory issues, and aquatic toxicity. Additionally, some products contained potential endocrine-disrupting and carcinogenic substances. Ultimately, a classification scheme was developed to categorize the detergents into four risk levels based on their apparent toxicity and hazard potential, ranging from safe to highly toxic. Overall, our findings underscore the need for stricter regulatory guidelines and the implementation of child-resistant packaging to minimize accidental exposure to hazardous substances.

Affiliated Institutions

• King Faisal University SA

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