The personal use of hair dye products is currently under discussion due to the potentially increased risk of bladder cancer among long-time users described in epidemiological literature. In order to investigate the dermal absorption of aromatic diamines as well as aromatic amines possibly present as contaminants in hair dye formulations, we conducted a biomonitoring study under real-life conditions and calculated kinetics and doses for the urinary excretion. Urine samples of two female subjects were collected for a time period of 48 h after personal application of a hair dye cream and analysed for aromatic diamines as well as o-toluidine and 4-aminobiphenyl using highly specific GC/MS-methods. 2,5-Toluylenediamine (2,5-TDA) as active ingredient of hair dyes is rapidly absorbed dermally. After a distribution phase of 12 h, 2,5-TDA is excreted with a half-time of 8 h. Excretion was 90% complete within 24 h after application. The doses of 2,5-TDA excreted within 48 h were 700 μg for application of a brown-reddish hair dye cream and 1.5 mg for the application of a brown-black hair dye cream. Urinary 4-aminobiphenyl as well as contaminations with other aromatic diamines were not detectable in our study. Due to the artifactual formation of o-toluidine in the presence of high concentrations of urinary 2,5-TDA, our results could not prove an increased internal exposure of humans to carcinogenic amines after personal application of hair dyes.
