Abstract

This work aimed to isolate Non-fermenting Gram-Negative Bacilli (NFGNB) from packages of hair care products, discarded as common solid waste by beauty salons and to assess their susceptibility to antibiotics and preservatives. Samples from hair care products were collected during eight weeks from seven salons in the metropolitan area of the city of João Pessoa, Brazil. Twelve NFGNB were recovered and subjected to biochemical identification and susceptibility testing. Species of the genus Burkholderia were more frequent, followed by Pseudomonas and Aeromonas. The highest antibiotic resistance rates were observed among quinolones, meropenem and sulfonamide. Six isolates showed multidrug-resistance profile and survived different concentrations of parabens, imidazolidinyl urea and triclosan. However, no correlation between resistance to antibiotics and the preservatives was found. Multidrug-resistant opportunistic pathogenic species found in the material remaining inside the used packages may represent a risk to human health and to the environment when discarded improperly with normal household waste.

Key words: Urban Pollution, Cosmetics, Hair care products, Multidrug-resistance, Paraíba