5.

0 RESULT

Table 5.1 List of components in nail polisher Brand A (Essence Brand)

Component Retention time Area Amt/Area Mole

(min) (pA*s) composition

Methanol 2.390 34.20608 0.00000 1.2 %

Ethanol 2.825 2808.65356 0.00000 98.8%

Note: Total Peak Area = 2842.85964

Table 5.2 List of components in nail polisher Brand B (BK Based)

Component Retention time Area Amt/Area Mole

(min) (pA*s) Composition

Methanol 2.395 5.56158 0.00000 0.34%

Ethanol 2.830 108.04472 0.00000 6.79%

Acetone 3.166 6.78530 8.39823e-2 0.43%

N-hexane 5.484 1471.65417 1.64425e-4 92.44%

Note: Total Peak Area = 1592.04577

6.0 DISCUSSION

The results that obtained in table 5.1 and 5.2 indicate the Volatile Organic
Compound (VOC) content in the selected nail polisher been tested. Table 5.1 had shown
VOC component in the sample Brand A (Essence Brand) which is methanol and ethanol.
Among those two components, ethanol has the highest percentage composition in the
sample which is 98.8%. While Table 5.2 indicate VOC component that been identified in
the sample Brand B(BK Based) which are methanol, methanol, acetone and n-hexane
with mole composition of 0.34%, 6.79%, 0.43% and 92.44%. Brand B is differing from
Brand A because the highest mole composition in the content is water. Brand B also
contain more of VOC components compare with Brand A which it has acetone and ne-
hexane either than ethanol and methanol.

Both samples had indicated that it contains quite higher concentration of ethanol
among the others. It is due ethanol is one of the solvents that been used to mix other
ingredients in the nail polisher to yield a uniform product. The amount of the solvent will
determine how thick a polish is and how long it takes to dry [1]. As for sample B, it also
contains acetone and ne-hexane. Acetone is a clear, smelly and highly flammable liquid.
It is a solvent that are capable of disintegrating even plastic. It ensures the nail polish is
quickly breaking apart and remove it. Sample B have the highest composition of n-
hexane because it is water-based nail polisher. This type of nail polisher is easy to remove
other than gel-based polisher which the type for sample A. The gel-based nail polisher
likely to been removed by using nail polisher removal while water-based nail polisher can
be removed by only peeling it. The water-based polisher also tends to quickly dry other
than the gel-based. It is due to the combination of acetone, ethanol and ne-hexane that
makes it easier to dry, break of and removes.
 Methanol is the earliest been detected by the gas chromatography in the analysis
and then ethanol for sample A. While for sample B, methanol also the earliest and n-
hexane is the last one been detected. It is due to the molecular weight for each
component. As the molecular weight for each component low, it will lower the retention
time. Hence, it required less time to elute the component. Methanol with molecular
weight of 32.05 g/mol will elute first than ethanol which has molecular weight of
46.17g/mol. N-hexane also have higher molecular weight compared with methanol which
is 86.18 g/mol. This makes N-hexane elute slowly than methanol.

The VOC component in the nail polisher can give harmful effect to the human
especially in the terms of health effect. The most harmful of VOC component that been
detected by the gas chromatography is acetone. Acetone is a hazardous substance that can
give effect to the skin, eye and lung irritation. Long-term exposure to this substance can
result in dry, cracked skin and possible damage to nervous system. The dangerous of this
substance is the lead to the production of nail polish without acetone.
7.0 SAMPLE CALCULATION

Mole composition of component:

Mole composition of component (%) = Peak Area of component (pA*s)100%

Total Peak Area (pA*s)

Example: Mole composition of Methanol

Mole composition of Methanol (%) = 34.20608 100%

2842.85964
= 1.2 %
8.0 CONCLUSION
As for conclusion, sample of Brand B containing more of VOC component rather
than sample A. Sample A has ethanol as the highest composition while sample B has n-
hexane as the highest one. Besides that, both sample had shown methanol is the earliest
to elute compared with other components. It is because methanol has the lowest of
molecular weight and as the molecular weight low, it will lower the retention time. When
the retention time get lower, the component will elute first than others.

Sample A is a gel-based nail polisher and sample B is a water-based nail polisher.

The main key active ingredient of non-acetone nail polisher like sample A is ethanol.
Ethanol is being used as solvent in the nail polisher to make the product more uniform
and determine the time it takes to dry. Sample B is an example of acetone nail polisher.
The component of VOC in the sample is used to make the nail polisher quickly break off
and easy to removes. The nail polisher that contain acetone has the advantages of quickly
to get dry and easy to remove. Unfortunately, acetone is hazardous substance that can
give effect to the health effect especially skin that in contact with it. Long term of
exposure to the acetone can make the skin more dry, red and crack. Hence, the demand of
non-acetone nail polisher production is increase despite of avoiding usage of acetone.
9.0 RECOMMENDATION
1. The experiment should be conducted for 3 times to obtain the average to get the
more accurate result.
2. The injector must be put quickly inside the column to avoid the VOC gas leak out.
3. The injector should be pressed continuously to clear the gas that might trap inside
the injector to avoid the mixture of VOC component with the other sample
4. The sample must be put inside the sample bag carefully to avoid the VOC gas
leak out.
REFERENCES
1. Anne Marie Helmenstine, How Nail Polish Works and What It’s Made Of,
retrieved from the September 10, 2018, https://www.thoughtco.com/nail-
polish-chemistry-603996.
2. Elzbieta Huzar, Alicja Wodnicka, Malgorzata Dzieciol, Quality Inspection of
Nail Polish and Assessment of Health Hazard Associated with the Use of the
Removers, 2010, 4-2