LAUSR

ABSTRACT To determine the amounts and chemical forms of chlorine compounds in elemental chlorine‐free (ECF) bleached pulp for sanitary products, a chemical‐form‐based quantitative analysis flow scheme was created. The scheme involves quantitative determination of compounds eluted in elution tests assuming dermal exposure. The results indicated that most of the chlorine compounds in pulp used for sanitary products were insoluble organically bound chlorine and water‐soluble chlorides consisting of chloride ions. The total amount of chlorine obtained by analysis of the total chlorine in the pulp products was close to the sum of the amounts of water‐soluble chlorides, residual chlorine, chloroacetic acids, and insoluble organically bound chlorine. Therefore, the balance of chlorine measured by the flow scheme was acceptable. Little residual chlorine was detected in the pulp products, suggesting that the chlorine dioxide used for bleaching was almost completely converted into inactive inorganic chlorides and organic chlorine compounds and that these substances do not affect the health risk posed by pulp products. A risk assessment of the detected chloroacetic acid and dichloroacetic acid revealed that there is no concern about the health risk posed by use of these products. HighlightsThe amounts and chemical forms of chlorine compounds in bleached pulp were determined.A flow scheme of chemical‐form‐based quantitative analysis was developed.Most of chlorine compounds were water‐soluble or insoluble organically bound chlorine.Only a small amount residual chlorine was detected in pulp products.Our results show that these substances do not influence the health risk posed by pulp products.