The Standard – May 2024
Welcome to the May 2024 edition of “The Standard,” CIL’s newsletter for issues related to environmental, food, water, and human exposure testing. In this issue we highlight EPA’s release of draft Method 1634 for 6PPD-quinone, an update to the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act, a ban on PFAS in cosmetics in New Zealand, an update on dioxin testing in East Palestine, OH, and assessing contaminants of emerging concern in drinking water. We hope you enjoy this issue!
Featured Product
N-Methylperfluorooctanesulfonamidoethanol (N-MeFOSE)
What it is: N-MeFOSE is part of the PFAS class of compounds. Specifically, N-MeFOSE was historically used in various clothing and carpet treatments, as well as furniture coatings such as paint and varnish.
EPA Releases Draft Method 1634 for 6PPD-Quinone
The US EPA has released draft Method 1634 to test for 6PPD-quinone (6PPD-Q) in aqueous matrices, notably stormwater and surface water, by LC/MS/MS.1 6PPD-Q has been of great concern to aquatic environments since 2021 when it was identified as the primary cause of death to Coho salmon in the Pacific Northwestern United States. 6PPD-Q forms as an oxidative by-product of the compound 6PPD, which is used as an antioxidant and antidegradant in rubber products, specifically automobile tires.
Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act of 2022 (MoCRA)
The average adult uses 12 pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) daily, ranging from skincare products, face and body cleansers, makeup, haircare products, and grooming products.1 Concern about environmental and human exposure to PPCPs has grown significantly, and in 2022 the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) passed The Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act of 2022 (MoCRA).
New Zealand Bans PFAS in Cosmetics
The New Zealand Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has banned the use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in cosmetic products, effective December 31, 2026.1 New Zealand is one of the first countries to ban PFAS use in cosmetics, where the chemicals have been used as active ingredients to condition and smooth the skin and hair, as well as increase the durability and water resistance of products.
East Palestine, Ohio – 1 Year After Train Derailment
It’s been over a year since the February 3, 2023, train derailment in East Palestine, OH, that resulted in the spillage and release of the chemicals vinyl chloride, butyl acrylate, ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, isobutylene, and ethylhexyl acrylate into the nearby environment. At the time, a controlled burn was conducted on vinyl chloride, which can create dioxins and other dioxin-like compounds as byproducts
Assessing Emerging Contaminants of Concern in Drinking Water
As part of the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act, the National Science & Technology Council’s (NSTC) Contaminants of Emerging Concern Strategy Team announced a research initiative in August 2022 to identify and assess contaminants of emerging concern (CEC) in drinking water.1