Triclosan: A review on systematic risk assessment and control from the perspective of substance flow analysis
Journal
Science of the Total Environment
Journal Volume
566-567
Pages
771-785
Date Issued
2016
Author(s)
Abstract
Triclosan (TCS) is a broad spectrum antibacterial agent mainly used in Pharmaceutical and Personal Care Products. Its increasing use over recent decades have raised its concentration in the environment, with commonly detectable levels found along the food web-from aquatic organisms to humans in the ecosystem. To date, there is shortage of information on how to investigate TCS's systematic risk on exposed organisms including humans, due to the paucity of systematic information on TCS flows in the anthroposphere. Therefore, a more holistic approach to mass flow balancing is required, such that the systematic risk of TCS in all environmental matrices are evaluated. From the perspective of Substance Flow Analysis (SFA), this review critically summarizes the current state of knowledge on TCS production, consumption, discharge, occurrence in built and natural environments, its exposure and metabolism in humans, and also the negative effects of TCS on biota and humans. Recent risk concerns have mainly focused on TCS removal efficiencies and metabolism, but less attention is given to the effect of mass flows from source to fate during risk exposure. However, available data for TCS SFA is limited but SFA can derive logical systematic information from limited data currently available for systematic risk assessment and reduction, based on mass flow analysis. In other words, SFA tool can be used to develop a comprehensive flow chart and indicator system for the risk assessment and reduction of TCS flows in the anthroposphere, thereby bridging knowledge gaps to streamline uncertainties related to policy-making on exposure pathways within TCS flow-lines. In the final analysis, specifics on systematic TCS risk assessment via SFA, and areas of improvement on human adaptation to risks posed by emerging contaminants are identified and directions for future research are suggested. ? 2016 Elsevier B.V.
Subjects
Comprehensive flow chart; Substance flow analysis; Systematic data; Systematic risk assessment; Triclosan
SDGs
Other Subjects
Aquatic ecosystems; Aquatic organisms; Decision theory; Flowcharting; Graphic methods; Mass transfer; Metabolism; Risk management; Environmental matrixes; Pharmaceutical and personal care products; Removal efficiencies; Risk assessment and reduction; Substance flow analysis; Systematic data; Systematic risk; Triclosan; Risk assessment; triclosan; topical antiinfective agent; triclosan; antimicrobial activity; bioindicator; environmental impact assessment; food web; future prospect; health risk; holistic approach; pollution effect; pollution exposure; PPCP; public health; risk assessment; analytic method; aquatic species; biota; ecosystem; flow measurement; food chain; food web; holistic care; management; priority journal; Review; risk assessment; risk reduction; systematic review; drug effects; human; risk assessment; water pollutant; Anti-Infective Agents, Local; Aquatic Organisms; Humans; Risk Assessment; Triclosan; Water Pollutants, Chemical
Type
journal article