Removal of Dermal Exposure to Phthalate Ester by Hand Washing

Not Applicable

Completed

Conditions: Environmental Exposure
Exposure to Pollution

Interventions: Behavioral: handwashing with soap
Behavioral: handwashing with water

Registration Number: NCT02707172

Lead Sponsor: Kaohsiung Medical University Chung-Ho Memorial Hospital

Brief Summary: The aim of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness in removing chemical exposure on hand, the investigators compare removal efficiency of Di-(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) on hands by hand washing with soap and water vs. water only. In two three-day N-of-1 trials, residual DEHP was measured in a single female adult who washed exposed hands with soap-and-water or water-only. Subsequently, a crossover study was performed by randomly assigning another 28 subjects equally to wash with soap-and-water or with water-only, and then each one received the other treatment 24 hrs later.

Detailed Description: Three studies, consisting of two N-of-1 trials and one crossover study, were used to compare the effect of handwashing with soap and water (intervention) and handwashing with water only (placebo) on phthalate removal from hands. The soap was plain soap, consisting of vegetable oil and sodium hydroxide. First, the investigators recruited one healthy female aged 25 yrs to participate in two N-of-1 trials. In each trial, her hands would be exposed to DEHP and then be treated with either soap intervention or placebo for three times over the course of three days. The first trial started on 15 May 2013. On day one, after the subject prewashed her hands, she allowed her hands to be exposed to a designated amount of DEHP. She then washed them with water only and rinsed them sequentially in three separate polyethylene (PE) bags, each containing 200 mL water to collect DEHP residue. One hour later, the same protocol was followed, except the exposed hands were treated with soap and water instead of water only (Figure 1a). The water rinsing in three separate bags remained the same. The pairs of studies were repeated on two subsequent days (16 and 17 May).

In the second N-of-1 trial, which was also performed over three days (22-24 May), the protocol using the same subject remained the same for all three days, except that the subject underwent intervention first then placebo. The water rinsing remained the same.

A randomized 2 × 2 crossover study was subsequently conducted between June and September 2013. The investigators assigned one group of 7 females and 7 males to perform handwashing with soap and water (intervention) and another group of 7 females and 7 males to perform handwashing with water only (placebo). Briefly, on the first day, the two groups washed their DEHP exposed hands using either soap and water or water only and then rinsed them in a PE bag with 200 mL water to collect DEHP. After 24 hrs, the experiment was crossed-over with the same two groups receiving the opposite treatments.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status: COMPLETED

Sex: All

Target Recruitment: 28

Inclusion Criteria

healthy adult over age of 18 years
BMI>18

Exclusion Criteria

diagnosis of any type of cancers, dermatitis, asthma
cut, abrasion, and trauma on hands
BMI <18

Study & Design

Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL

Study Design: CROSSOVER

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Intervention	handwashing with soap	Subject was first exposed to 1000 microgram of diethylhexyl phthalate on both hands, and was asked to perform the intervention, handwashing with soap, by a standardized hand washing technique. Then the subjects in this arms are crossover to receive placebo, handwashing with water only.
Intervention	handwashing with water	Subject was first exposed to 1000 microgram of diethylhexyl phthalate on both hands, and was asked to perform the intervention, handwashing with soap, by a standardized hand washing technique. Then the subjects in this arms are crossover to receive placebo, handwashing with water only.
Placebo	handwashing with soap	Subject was exposed to 1000 microgram of diethylhexyl phthalate on both hands, and was asked to perform the placebo, handwashing with water, by a standardized hand washing technique. Then the subjects in this arms are crossover to perform the intervention, handwashing with soap.
Placebo	handwashing with water	Subject was exposed to 1000 microgram of diethylhexyl phthalate on both hands, and was asked to perform the placebo, handwashing with water, by a standardized hand washing technique. Then the subjects in this arms are crossover to perform the intervention, handwashing with soap.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Amount of Diethylhexyl Phthalate Removed From Hand	immediately right after hand-washing	Water rinse were performed immediately after hand-washing, and the concentration of diethylhexyl phthalate in the soiled water is measured.

Secondary Outcome Measures