Page 40 - CBT 2018
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Tale of Triclosan: From lab to field to legislature
Triclosan, the antimicrobial ingredient
in liquid handsoaps, is incompletely removed during wastewater treatment. During the disinfection of wastewater effluent, chlorinated triclosan derivatives are produced, which, along with triclosan, are released to rivers and lakes. Lab experiments revealed that when exposed to sunlight, triclosan and the chlorinated triclosan derivatives produce specific dioxins in 1–3% yield. Sediment cores collected in the field from lakes across Minnesota revealed the historical levels of triclosan and its degradation products in aquatic systems. Analysis of the sediment cores showed that triclosan first appeared in the 1960s, shortly after it was patented, and that the levels increased as it was incorporated into consumer products. While dioxins produced from incineration have been decreasing for the past thirty years, concentrations
of dioxins derived from triclosan have been increasing and are correlated with triclosan use. These findings led to the Minnesota legislature banning the use of triclosan in consumer products. [68–72]
