How dangerous is triethanolamine?
Triethanolamine: Triethanolamine is used in many cosmetic products to help balance pH levels, as well as to act as a cleansing base. When absorbed into the body over a long period of time, it can become toxic. Even short periods of exposure can cause allergic reactions, including eye problems and dry hair and skin.
Is triethanolamine toxic if ingested?
Ingestion May be harmful if swallowed. Skin May be harmful if absorbed through skin. May cause skin irritation. Eyes May cause eye irritation.
What happens if you ingest triethanolamine?
Potential Acute Health Effects: Hazardous in case of skin contact (permeator), of eye contact (irritant), of ingestion, of inhalation. The substance may be toxic to kidneys, liver, skin. Repeated or prolonged exposure to the substance can produce target organs damage.
How do you test the purity of triethanolamine?
Triethanolamine can be determined in workplace air by drawing the air sample through aqueous hexanesulfonic acid and analysing by ion chromatography. The limit of detection for this method is 20 μg per sample (Eller, 1994).
What does triethanolamine do to the skin?
The CIR Expert Panel recognized that Triethanolamine and Diethanolamine were mild skin and eye irritants and that irritation increased with increasing concentration. Ethanolamine was both a skin and eye irritant and the longer Ethanolamine stays in contact with the skin, the greater the likelihood of irritation.
Is triethanolamine good for face?
Triethanolamine doesn’t provide any benefits to the skin. It is only used in formulations to improve the texture and pH of a product. One reason you may not have heard of triethanolamine is partly due to the lack of benefits it provides to the skin, but also due to the low concentrations present in the product.
How much triethanolamine is safe?
Triethanolamine may be used in non-rinse-off and other cosmetics and personal care products at a maximum concentration of 2.5%. Ethanolamine can be used in cosmetics and personal care products if the secondary amine is less than or equal to 0.5%.
What can I use instead of triethanolamine?
Substitutes
| Soaps | Results |
|---|---|
| TrisBase, pH 7,8 | Very good results, as good or better than with the TEA soap. Easy removal without too much mechanical action. |
| Ethomeen C25, pH 7,6 | Little to no results, removal is very slow, could be due to the low pH of the soap (7,5). |
Is triethanolamine a weak base?
Triethanolamine reacts violently with strong oxidizing agents. Since it is a weak base, it reacts with acids, vigorously with concentrated strong acids.
What is the purpose of triethanolamine?
It is a common ingredient in formulations used for both industrial and consumer products. The triethanolamine neutralizes fatty acids, adjusts and buffers the pH, and solubilizes oils and other ingredients that are not completely soluble in water.
What is triethanolamine soap?
Triethanolamine, an amine, is used as a stabilizer and a pH Balancer for cosmetics and skin care products. Some common products containing triethanolamine are: Lotions, liquid detergents like laundry and dishwashing liquid soaps, shaving creams, general surface cleaners, polishes, metalworking fluids.
