Determination of bacterial contamination by Pseudomonas Aeruginosa and Escherichia coli in used and unused skin and eye cosmetic products

Abstract

Introduction: In recent years, production, importation, trafficking and consumption of cosmetics for multiple reasons is growing in Iran. In addition to, skin and eye diseases caused by fraud and existing pollution of this product often has been reported due to lack of proper control of imported products and suitable conditions as well as nutrients providing in cosmetics. Purpose of this study was to survey of bacterial and fungal contamination of personal new and in-use cosmetics and in-use beauty salon cosmetic. Materials and methods: In this study, about 84 cosmetics was survaied in Tabriz (2015) that, 42 new cosmetic consists of 23 skin cosmetics and 19 eye cosmetics and 42 another cosmetics was sampled from beauty salons thus, new cosmetics was, purchased, then was sampled and cultured in Eugon LT100 broth medium and incubated for 48-72 h at 37°C and transferred to Cetrimide Agar Medium, Levine Eosin Methylene Blue Agar Medium, Baird Parker Agar, and Sabouraud Dextrose Chloramphenicol Agar to survey for bacterial and fungal contamination and then incubated for 24-48 h at 37°C. Further identification of the isolated bacteria was carried out according to the type of bacteria's morphology and biochemical tests using standard bacteriological methods. Subsequently, the examined cosmetics were given to the volenteers for 3 weeks and, then, the used cosmetics were collected and reanalysed for finding any change in microbial contamination. Also, beauty salon in-use cosmetics analysed similarly. Results: Out of the total new cosmetics examined, 17% and 67% were contaminated by bacteria and fungi, respectively. The prevalence of bacteria in all kinds of products was increased from 17% to 64% after use by the participants. The number of colony forming units of bacteria and fungi in the intact cosmetics was >100000 and 200 cfu g-1 or ml-1, respectively. Average of the bacterial counts within the in-use cosmetics was 330±41×103 cfu g-1 or ml-1. Staphylococcus, Bacillus, Rhodotorula, Candida, Penicillium, Cladosporium and Aspergillus wereII the most common isolated bacteria, molds and yeasts from the new cosmetics. The most predominant isolated bacteria from the in-use skin personal cosmetics were Staphylococcus, Pseudomonas, Bacillus, E. coli, and Acinetobacter. 100% of inuse beauty salon cosmetics were contaminated with bacteria and about 24% of beauty salon cosmetics contaminated with fungus and yeast. Streptococcus, Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, Bacillus, Staphylococcus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Klebsiella, Citrobacter, Rhodotorula and Candida were isolated frequently from beauty salon cosmetics. Conclusion: Finally, our findings showed the contamination of intact cosmetics with bacteria and fungi and also increased microbial density within in-use products through contamination with air and skin micro flora. Also, bacterial density and diversity of beauty salon cosmetics was more than personal cosmetics. Therefore, it is suggested to avoid long-term use of cosmetic products, do not share them with others, do not use public cosmetics in toilet salons, keep the used cosmetics in dry, cool, and fastened packets.