Evaluation of asbestos exposure resulting from simulated application of spiked talcum powders

This study characterizes airborne asbestos exposures resulting from the adult application of cosmetic talc body powders spiked with known concentrations of tremolite. Raw talc ores were spiked with 0.005% and 0.1% asbestiform or non-asbestiform tremolite. Personal samples were collected during 16 simulated events, including puff and shaker application and associated clean-up activities. Airborne fiber levels (PCM) were not significantly different for simulations involving talc spiked with asbestiform and non-asbestiform tremolite (p = 0.6104). For application and clean-up of talc spiked with 0.005% asbestiform tremolite, 2 of 24 (8.3%) samples were above the LOD for TEM (0.003 f/cc). For application of talc spiked with 0.1% asbestiform tremolite, 21 of 24 (87.5%) were above the LOD for TEM. The corresponding mean PCME asbestos concentrations were 0.016 f/cc for puff and shaker for samples collected in the first 15 min, 0.002 f/cc for puff and 0.004 f/cc for shaker in the second 15 min, and 0.005 f/cc for puff and 0.013 f/cc for shaker for the full 30 min. Mean PCME concentrations for samples collected during clean-up following application of talc spiked with 0.1% asbestiform tremolite were 0.003 f/cc for samples collected in the first 15 min following puff application, 0.005 f/cc for samples collected in the second 15 min following shaker application, and 0 f/cc for the remaining clean-up samples. Using the EPA's exposure factors, we determined the range of cumulative asbestiform fiber exposures that would result from product use, assuming asbestiform tremolite was present at 0.1%.