Triclosan:Environmental and Human Exposure

Triclosan, an antibacterial incorporated in personal care products and household chemicals, was recognized as low toxicity and therefore widely used. In recent years, more and more countries limit the application of triclosan as it is found of estrogenic effect and classified as an endocrine disrupting chemical by the World Health Organization (WHO). This review analyzes the exposure levels of triclosan in environment as well as in human, revealing that triclosan is prevalent in both environment and human. However, data on triclosan in China are still insufficient. The extensive existence of triclosan requires more attention to its potential adverse health effects among the population.