Application of the click analytical chemistry index for the assessment of endocrine-disrupting chemicals in cosmetics and personal care products

Abstract

Cosmetics and personal care products often contain parabens, phthalates, and bisphenols, compounds used as preservatives or plasticizers that may also migrate from packaging materials into the product. Their potential endocrine-disrupting effects have prompted stricter regulations and concentration limits. Given their occurrence and the complexity of cosmetic matrices, several extraction and chromatographic techniques have been developed to ensure reliable quantification. In this review, representative methods published from 2018 to 2025 focused on the determination of these compounds were evaluated using the click analytical chemistry index (CACI), a recently developed color-coded tool that integrates analytical performance, environmental impact, cost, and applicability within a single framework. CACI allows an objective and balanced comparison of analytical methods, emphasizing practicality and real-world feasibility. The obtained CACI scores ranged from 57 to 80, suggesting that the evaluated methodologies can be categorized as acceptable (50-75%) or highly practical (>75%). It is expected that the use of CACI will promote the development of more sustainable, practical, and user-oriented analytical strategies for the evaluation of chromatographic methods, not only for endocrine-disrupting chemicals in cosmetics and personal care products, but also for other substances of interest.