Ozone reactive compounds measured in skin wipes from Chinese volunteers

Indoor ozone can react with unsaturated compounds like human skin lipids and form harmful oxidation products. In this study, we collected skin wipes used on the foreheads and forearms of 31 Chinese volunteers, and measured the concentrations of the top 15 saturated fatty acids (SFAs), top 15 unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs), top 15 unsaturated triglycerides (UTGs), and squalene in the wipes. The mean concentration of SFAs, UFAs, UTGs, and squalene were 1.3 × 10−1, 2.2 × 10−2, 1.6 × 10−2, and 5.2 × 10−2 μmol/cm2, respectively, for forehead, and 2.5 × 10−2, 3.0 × 10−3, 3.3 × 10−3, and 9.0 × 10−3 μmol/cm2, respectively, for forearm. The concentration of total skin lipids was higher in foreheads than in forearms. Males had higher skin lipid concentrations than females. UFAs with 10–20 carbon atoms were higher and more than 20 carbon atoms were lower and UTGs with more carbon atoms (>50) were higher in proportion to total UFAs and UTGs in male skin than in female skin. Nonanal and heptanal were found to be the most abundant products of the reactions between ozone and UFAs and UTGs in skin lipids. •Skin wipes were collected from 31 Chinese volunteers.•Concentration of different fatty acids, triglycerides and squalene were measured.•Skin lipid concentrations were higher in forehead than in forearm.•Skin lipid concentrations were higher in male than in female.•Nonanal was the most copious product of unsaturated fatty acids and triglycerides.