Recently, the quality of sanitary napkins has become a hot topic online. This article provides a brief interpretation of the issues that consumers are concerned about, based on the technical indicators, methods and requirements stipulated in the national standard GB/T 8939—2018 “Sanitary Napkins (Patrolleys)”. In a scientific and pragmatic manner, it clarifies some misunderstandings.

1.National Standards for Sanitary Napkin Products

Currently, the national standards related to sanitary napkins include GB 15979-2024 “Hygienic Requirements for Disposable Sanitary Products” (mandatory standard) and GB/T 8939-2018 “Sanitary Napkins (Patrolleys)” (recommended standard). As an essential consumer product for women in today’s society, sanitary napkins are used by market regulators, consumer protection organizations, and manufacturers and sellers as a basis for judging whether a product is qualified or not.

2.Physical Dimensions of Sanitary Napkins

Sanitary napkins generally consist of three layers: the top layer, the absorbent layer, and the leak-proof bottom layer. These layers respectively receive, diffuse, absorb and store liquids (blood), and prevent leakage. Other auxiliary components primarily prevent side leakage.

In sanitary napkin product standards, the length specification is related to the consumer’s usage scenario and the needs of daytime, nighttime, or different menstrual periods.

The national standard GB/T 8939—2018 “Sanitary Napkins (Patrolleys)” stipulates that the “total length” in the sanitary napkin length deviation specification refers to the total length of the product, not the length of the absorbent core. Furthermore, because the materials used in the production process have stretching and shrinking characteristics, the standard allows a length deviation within ±4%. This ensures product effectiveness and facilitates production process control for manufacturers. Deviations exceeding or falling below this range will be considered substandard products.

3.pH Value of Sanitary Napkins

pH value, also known as the hydrogen ion concentration index or acid-base value, is a scale for the activity of hydrogen ions in a solution, and is generally considered a standard for measuring the acidity or alkalinity of a solution. Generally, a neutral pH range is 6.5-8.5, which is considered a mild acid-base range.

Relevant national departments have issued specific national standards for sanitary napkins, classifying them as disposable hygiene products. The applicable standards are GB 15979 “Hygienic Requirements for Disposable Hygiene Products” and GB/T 8939—2018 “Sanitary Napkins (Patrolleys)”. GB/T 8939—2018 specifies a pH value requirement of 4.0–9.0. This standard was set considering the product characteristics of sanitary napkins, the target users, feedback on product quality over many years, and opinions from various parties. Products exceeding or falling below this range will be deemed unqualified.

4.Raw Materials for Sanitary Napkins

Sanitary napkins generally consist of three parts: a surface layer, an absorbent layer, and a bottom layer, bonded together with hot melt adhesive. The surface layer, which comes into direct contact with the skin, is soft; PE perforated film and cotton are the two most common materials. The absorbent layer is primarily composed of cotton, non-woven fabric, fluff pulp, or a composite of these materials, forming a high-molecular-weight polymer or polymer composite paper. It absorbs menstrual blood and includes a distribution layer, a core layer, and a retaining layer. The distribution layer conducts liquid laterally, increasing the absorption area and preventing concentrated absorption. The core layer quickly absorbs liquid and transfers it to the next layer. The retaining layer is composed of wood pulp fibers and super absorbent polymers, providing strong absorption and retaining liquid under pressure. The bottom layer uses a special polyethylene (PE) plastic film as the base material, cross-linked acrylic resin as the adhesive, and is processed with several special additives to prevent leakage and permeation.

The relevant national standards GB 15979-2024 “Hygienic Requirements for Disposable Sanitary Products” and GB/T 8939—2018 “Sanitary Napkins (Patrolleys)” both stipulate that recycled raw materials should not be used in the production of sanitary napkins, and that the raw materials should be non-toxic and harmless. Reputable sanitary napkin manufacturers and qualified products will not use recycled materials. Regulatory authorities will investigate and punish such products as counterfeit or substandard products according to law.

5.Formaldehyde Content in Sanitary Napkins

Formaldehyde is widely present in nature; trace amounts may be found in plants, crops, and water sources. It can also be introduced during raw material production and product manufacturing. Most consumer products cannot guarantee the complete elimination of formaldehyde. However, relevant national standards have extremely strict regulations on the formaldehyde content in sanitary napkins to ensure consumer safety and health. GB/T 8939—2018 “Sanitary Napkins (Patrolleys)” requires a formaldehyde content of ≤75mg/kg. Products exceeding this value will be deemed substandard.

6.Sanitary Napkins and Fluorescent Whitening Agents

Fluorescent substances are ubiquitous in nature and found in various plants and animals. Fluorescent whitening agents are widely used chemicals that utilize optical complementary color effects to whiten, brighten, or enhance the color of white or light-colored items. They are commonly used in textiles, detergents, stationery, decorative paints, and plastic products. Multiple studies on the safety of fluorescent whitening agents, both domestically and internationally, have concluded that appropriate use of fluorescent whitening agents does not cause skin sensitization or phototoxicity, and is non-carcinogenic, making them safe for use.

However, to prevent potential health risks, while the GB/T8939—2018 standard for sanitary napkins (panty liners) does not ban fluorescent whitening agents, it explicitly stipulates that products must not contain migratable fluorescent substances. Migratable fluorescent substances refer to fluorescent additives that can transfer to human skin or mucous membranes through leaching or contact. Controlling this indicator helps ensure product safety, especially for sensitive individuals. Products containing migratable fluorescent substances are deemed substandard.

7.Safety of Sanitary Napkin Products

The safety of sanitary napkin products focuses on health and hygiene indicators, particularly physicochemical indicators (biologically toxic heavy metals such as lead, arsenic, and mercury) and microbiological indicators (bacteria, pathogenic microorganisms, fungi, and other harmful bacteria).

National standards GB 15979-2024 “Hygienic Requirements for Disposable Sanitary Products” and GB/T8939—2018 “Sanitary Napkins (Patrolley Liners)” stipulate and limit the hygiene indicators for women’s menstrual hygiene products. For example, the microbiological requirements for ordinary-grade women’s menstrual hygiene products are: total bacterial count ≤200 CFU/g and total fungal count ≤100 CFU/g. my country’s national standards for these microbiological limits are often stricter than those of developed countries.

Key Technical Specifications

Therefore, for most women with normal health, choosing qualified sanitary napkin products produced by reputable companies can fully guarantee their health and safety during menstruation.

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