Romanian Society of Pharmaceutical Sciences

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ANALYSIS OF PERFUMES WITH SYNTHETIC HUMAN PHEROMONES BY GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY-MASS SPECTROMETRY

IOANA GAVRIȘ, EDE BODOKI*, RADU OPREAN

Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, “Iuliu Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 4, Louis Pasteur St., Cluj-Napoca, Romania

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Currently there are many pheromone containing perfumes aggressively promoted by various websites. Because these products usually elude the control of any national or international authorities or regulating bodies they expose consumers to many potential frauds, and more importantly, to various health associated risks. The aim of the present study was to confirm the presence of pheromones, identify their nature and assess their relative concentration. Twelve commercially available perfumes claiming to contain human pheromones have been evaluated by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Synthetic human pheromones were identified only in seven perfume samples. Considering the obtained results and taking into account the numerous knowledge gaps regarding the effects of synthetic pheromones on human behaviour, potential gender-based effects and the absence of any quantitative study correlating hormone exposure and observed effect, the perfume manufacturers do not seem to follow any scientific protocol in the design and fabrication of these products.