Presence of benzotriazole ultraviolet stabilizers in human urine

Health exposure to benzotriazole ultraviolet stabilizers (BUVSs) may pose diverse toxic impacts on health. Presently, the occurrence of BUVSs in human urine remains inadequately understood. This study analyzed 13 kinds of BUVSs in human urine (n = 182) from the general Chinese adult participants. Totally, nine BUVSs were measurable in these human urine samples. Among the detected BUVSs, 2-(2H-benzotriazol-2-yl)-p-cresol (UV-P) was the most predominant BUVS in the human urine, with the mean concentration of 1.6 μg/g creatinine (< LOD–11 μg/g creatinine). 2-(2'-Hydroxy-3',5'-di-tert-butylphenyl)-5-chloro-benzotriazole (UV-327; mean 0.42 μg/g creatinine, < LOD–9.8 μg/g creatinine) was the second predominant BUVS, followed by 2-(2H-benzotriazol-2-yl)-4-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-phenol (UV-PS; 0.21 μg/g creatinine, < LOD–8.5 μg/g creatinine) and 2-(2H-benzotriazol-2-yl)-4,6-ditertpentyl-phenol (UV-328; 0.18 μg/g creatinine, < LOD–3.4 μg/g creatinine). The mean urinary concentration of UV-327 in females (0.51 μg/g creatinine) was remarkably greater (p = 0.027) than that in males (0.26 μg/g creatinine). Human urinary concentrations of UV-P and UV-328 were decreased with the age of participants. Relative higher urinary daily excretion was found for UV-P (< 1.7–316 ng/kg bw/day), UV-327 (< 2.8–267 ng/kg bw/day), and UV-PS (< 1.4–201 ng/kg bw/day). The current study first reveals the urinary concentrations of BUVSs in general Chinese population. These obtained data is fundamental for the risk assessment of human BUVSs ingestion.