Researchers in Beijing have found a cancer-causing hormone that could impair fertility and damage liver and kidney functions in many personal care products in China's domestic markets.

A total of 12 perfumes, accounting for 92 percent of the sample pool, were discovered to contain phthalate acid esters, a chemical that can disrupt humans' reproduction capabilities, according to a research report conducted by the Beijing Disease Prevention and Control Center.

Almost half of the tested skin care products and 30 percent of the shampoos contained PAEs, the National Business Daily reported yesterday.

The wide use of the chemical in plastic packages and cosmetics has aroused questions worldwide because the substance can disrupt endocrine hormone levels and possibly lead to cell mutation, deformity and cancer, said Li Jie, the compiler of the report.

The European Union and the United States have put PAEs on the list of high-priority pollutants and are constantly adding new types of PAEs to be monitored.

However, China has no regulation concerning the level of PAEs and consumers can't see the amount on product labels, the report said, citing Cheng Changmei, a professor of Tsinghua University's chemistry department.

With no standard method to detect their toxicity, products containing PAEs won't be ordered off shelves, Li said. China has yet put the limit on the amount of PEAs, Li added.

Some cosmetics makers reacted warily to the report. "We have learned about this issue for several months, but we won't accept media interviews regarding this," said Yang Yan, director of public relations department of Japanese cosmetics maker Shiseido, when contacted by the National Business Daily.

Global player Unilever and the world's biggest fragrance maker, Coty Inc, did not respond to the report.

Shanghai-based Jahwa is confident it was not among those companies whose products contained PAEs, the newspaper report said, citing PR manager He Nana.