Research Article

Concentrations of parabens in human breast tumours

  1. P. D. Darbre1,*,
  2. A. Aljarrah2,
  3. W. R. Miller2,
  4. N. G. Coldham3,
  5. M. J. Sauer4,
  6. G. S. Pope1

Article first published online: 8 JAN 2004

DOI: 10.1002/jat.958

Issue

Journal of Applied Toxicology

Journal of Applied Toxicology

Volume 24, Issue 1, pages 5–13, January/February 2004

Additional Information

How to Cite

Darbre, P. D., Aljarrah, A., Miller, W. R., Coldham, N. G., Sauer, M. J. and Pope, G. S. (2004), Concentrations of parabens in human breast tumours. Journal of Applied Toxicology, 24: 5–13. doi: 10.1002/jat.958

Author Information

  1. 1

    Division of Cell and Molecular Biology, School of Animal and Microbial Sciences, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6AJ, UK

  2. 2

    The Edinburgh Breast Unit Research Group, Paderewski Building, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh EH4 2XU, UK

  3. 3

    Department of Bacterial Diseases, Veterinary Laboratories Agency, Weybridge, New Haw, Addlestone, Surrey KT15 3NB, UK

  4. 4

    Department of TSE Molecular Biology, Veterinary Laboratories Agency, Weybridge, New Haw, Addlestone, Surrey KT15 3NB, UK

*Division of Cell and Molecular Biology, School of Animal and Microbial Sciences, University of Reading, PO Box 228, Whiteknights, Reading RG6 6AJ, UK.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 8 JAN 2004
  2. Article first published online: 8 JAN 2004
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 8 OCT 2003
  4. Manuscript Revised: 7 OCT 2003
  5. Manuscript Received: 23 JUN 2003

Funded by

  • Seedcorn Fund of the Veterinary Laboratories Agency.

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Keywords:

  • parabens;
  • xenoestrogens;
  • oestrogenic activity;
  • HPLC–MS–MS;
  • human breast cancer;
  • preservatives;
  • cosmetics

Abstract

Parabens are used as preservatives in many thousands of cosmetic, food and pharmaceutical products to which the human population is exposed. Although recent reports of the oestrogenic properties of parabens have challenged current concepts of their toxicity in these consumer products, the question remains as to whether any of the parabens can accumulate intact in the body from the long-term, low-dose levels to which humans are exposed. Initial studies reported here show that parabens can be extracted from human breast tissue and detected by thin-layer chromatography. More detailed studies enabled identification and measurement of mean concentrations of individual parabens in samples of 20 human breast tumours by high-pressure liquid chromatography followed by tandem mass spectrometry. The mean concentration of parabens in these 20 human breast tumours was found to be 20.6 ± 4.2 ng g−1 tissue. Comparison of individual parabens showed that methylparaben was present at the highest level (with a mean value of 12.8 ± 2.2 ng g−1 tissue) and represents 62% of the total paraben recovered in the extractions. These studies demonstrate that parabens can be found intact in the human breast and this should open the way technically for more detailed information to be obtained on body burdens of parabens and in particular whether body burdens are different in cancer from those in normal tissues. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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