Image. 1                                                                                  Image. 2

What's really in infants tylenol? Potassium sorbate is in the ingredients list for liquid tylenol. What are children consuming and at what cost? I was giving my now seven month old daughter tylenol as she was teething and I looked at the ingredient list and had no idea what potassium sorbate was, nevermind why it was in infants tylenol. Luckily this chemical is relatively safe for digestion, although some believe that it can alter DNA (Dehghan, Parvin, 2018) . This chemical is typically used as a preservative in food and aids in keeping mold and fungus away (Schmidl, 2000. p. 76). Interestingly, potassium sorbate is mostly used in products kept at room temperature although dairy products are an exception. Even though this chemical is relatively safe, it can cause rashes and skin irritation, and in extreme cases liver failure. Since the amounts put in food products are relatively low, the possibility of over consuming potassium sorbate is highly unlikely (Field, 2007,p.23). The daily recommended amount is 25 mg/ kg which is quite high (Hecht, Marjorie, 2017). This product comes from potassium salt mixed with sorbic acid, creating a white powder that is turned into a small pellet like form(Taylor, Marygrace, 2021).  There are many substitutes for this product such as vitamin C and E, as well as sulfites and nitrates which are not as good for you as the other more natural substitutes (Viccie, 2022). Moreover, you can also consume less processed foods if you are looking to cut this product out of your diet. Although some people believe that it can alter DNA there is no sound evidence that is true (Dehghan, Parvin,Et Al. 2018). That being said, potassium sorbate is not the healthiest thing for you, and we should all try to consume a more natural diet. It's shocking that a product that contains this chemical is so high in demand with all the shortages, that not many people really know what chemicals they are giving their babies. As was previously stated, I was unaware of this as well as many other moms I have talked to, many of them also didn’t know what potassium sorbate was, yet they had been giving it to their children and consuming it themselves through foods, cosmetics, and liquid medications. 

Questions 

What two chemicals make up potassium sorbate? 

What are two alternatives to potassium sorbate?

What is the daily recommended amount of this chemical?

Draw the chemical structure of potassium sorbate 

Works cited 

Dehghan, Parvin; et al.(2018, October). Pharmacokinetic and toxicological aspects of potassium sorbate food additive and its constituents. Science Direct. 

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0924224418300050 

Taylor, Marygrace. (2021, May 1). Potassium Sorbate: What Is It And What Are Its Side Effects? Live Strong 

https://www.livestrong.com/article/31559-potassium-sorbate/

Hecht, Marjorie. (2017, March 30). Everything You Should Know About Potassium Sorbate. Health Line. 

https://www.healthline.com/health/potassium-sorbate

Field, S.Q(2007)Why There’s Antifreeze In Your Toothpaste. Chicago Review Press.(p. 23) https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/mtroyal-ebooks/reader.action?docID=769842  

Schmidl, M.K; Labuza, T.P(2000) Essentials Of Functional Foods. Springer. (p.76)

https://www.google.ca/books/edition/Essentials_Of_Functional_Foods/Yp44IzX8hVAC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=potassium+sorbate&pg=PA76&printsec=frontcover 

Viccie. (2022, July 30). 9 Potassium Sorbate substitute. Miss vickie. https://missvickie.com/potassium-sorbate-substitute/

Image 1

https://www.lesamesfleurs.com/en/products/sorbate-de-potassium-naturel-conservateur

Image 2 

https://roomservicehfx.com/products/infants-tylenol-grape-age-0-23-months-24ml

Sodium Bicarbonate

    

    If you were to take a spoonful of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) into your mouth and consume it as is, it would be an unpleasant experience. First, it would not have any sort of delicious flavour to enjoy. Baking soda is also alkaline, meaning that improper consumption of it could disrupt the acid-base balance in your body and lower the amount of stomach acid, which is needed to digest food. It also hurts to get in your eyes. So, how could something that does not taste particularly good on its own and can disrupt your bodily functions be such a key ingredient in baked goods like pancakes, cakes, and cookies? That is because of its chemistry and the way that sodium bicarbonate changes when used in baked goods recipes. Baking soda is a leavening agent. You may have heard this before or that it gives “rise” to the products. This is all referring to the breakdown of sodium bicarbonate in baking recipes and the positive effects it has. When added to something like pancake batter, along with moisture and an acidic ingredient like lemon juice, sodium bicarbonate will break down and release carbon dioxide gas when the mixture is heated up to the right temperature. The carbon dioxide gas will then start to expand inside the batter. This causes the cells of the batter to expand as well. This expansion of the batter is what you may have heard being referred to as “rise.” It is important that this happens when making something like pancakes. The process of carbon dioxide gas being released from the breakdown of baking soda gives pancakes a light, fluffy texture that helps make them such a popular breakfast food. Without this reaction from baking soda, pancakes would end up being thicker and less of something that you would want to eat in the morning or at any time of day. 

Exam questions

1. What is the chemical name for baking soda? 

2. How does baking soda give “rise” to baked goods?

3. What effect does baking soda have on the texture of baked goods?

References

Iranian Labour News Agency. (2021, April 14). SODIUM BICARBONATE, PRODUCTION, HISTORY AND USES | ILNA. Iranian Labour News Agency. Retrieved January 25, 2023, from https://www.ilna.ir/Section-economy-4/1062921-sodium-bicarbonate-production-history-and-uses

Martinko, K. (2019, January 14). We all love baking soda, but where does it come from? Ciner Resources. Retrieved January 26, 2023, from https://www.ciner.us.com/we-all-love-baking-soda-but-where-does-it-come-from/

National Center for Biotechnology Information. (n.d.). Sodium Bicarbonate | NaHCO3 - PubChem. PubChem. Retrieved January 25, 2023, from https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Sodium-Bicarbonate#section=Information-Sources 

Sideman, E. (2007). How baking soda is made - material, manufacture, making, history, used, processing, structure, product. How Products Are Made. Retrieved January 25, 2023, from http://www.madehow.com/Volume-1/Baking-Soda.html

Sircus, M. (2014). Sodium Bicarbonate: Nature's Unique First Aid Remedy. Square One Publishers.

Sodium Bicarbonate. (2006). In N. Schlager, J. Weisblatt, & D. E. Newton (Eds.), Chemical Compounds (Vol. 3, pp. 723-727). UXL. https://link-gale-com.libproxy.mtroyal.ca/apps/doc/CX3441700183/GVRL?u=mtroyalc&sid=bookmark-GVRL&xid=4ab4d48c 

Talc - Esther

 

Talc, chemically known as Hydrous Magnesium Silicate is a naturally occurring mineral mined from the Earth.[1] It’s one of the softest minerals having a Mohs hardness of 1 compared to diamond with a Mohs hardness of 10. While it’s commonly used as baby powder, Talc has many other uses; in the production of ceramics, paint, and cosmetics, making it a part of our everyday lives.[5] It’s also used for improving paper qualities, in chewing gum, candies, and in belts to provide softness and flexibility.[5] Talc is a good ingredient in makeup and personal care products to absorb moisture and grease, prevent caking, improve consistency, or to make a product more opaque.[4] 

So, what properties make Talc so useful? It’s composed of microscopic platelets, and the bonds holding said platelets together are very weak which enables the platelets to slide by one another resulting in the soft greasy feel of Talc.[3] And what properties make it not as safe? Because Talc is found in such close proximity to Asbestos, which is also a naturally occurring silicate mineral, there is potential for contamination of Talc with Asbestos so it’s important that Talc is mined carefully and sufficiently.

According to Health Canada, Talc may be harmful to your lungs when breathed in and may cause ovarian cancer.[5] However, it poses no risks from external contact with your skin, exposure from food or ingesting products containing talc. It’s also not harmful to the environment.

Did you know?

Baby powder was at the centre of thousands of lawsuits for its connection to ovarian cancer. In May 2020, Johnson & Johnson announced that it will stop selling talc-based body powder.[2]

References

[1] Johnson & Johnson. (2016, Feb). The Facts About Talc Safety.

https://www.jnj.com/our-products/the-facts-about-talc-safety#:~:text=Talc%20is%20a%20hig

hly%20stable,from%20asbestos%20and%20asbestiform%20fibers.

[2] Hsu T & Rabin R. C. (2021, July). Johnson & Johnson to End Talc-Based Baby Powder

Sales in North America.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/19/business/johnson-baby-powder-sales-stopped.html

[3] U.S Geological Survey Publications Warehouse. Industrial Minerals of the United States

U.S. Talc—Baby Powder and Much More.

https://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/fs-0065-00/fs-0065-00textonly.pdf

[4] U.S Food & Drug Administration. (2022, Dec). Talc.

https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/cosmetic-ingredients/talc

[5] Government of Canada. (2021, April). Talc.

https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/chemicals-product-safety/talc.html#shr-pg0

Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone: A Great Smelling Chemical

  

     Have you ever thought to yourself, why does my cologne or perfume smell so good? Well the list of ingredients in one fragrance can be quite extensive, however, alpha-isomethyl ionone could be one reason as to why your fragrance smells great. Alpha-isomethyl ionone is a chemical that is put into fragrances, this chemical has a floral, violet scent2 that contributes to many fragrances' sweet, fresh scents. Alpha-isomethyl ionone is a naturally occurring organic compound found in brewer's yeast1 but the chemical is synthetically made in a lab for use in fragrances. 

Red, bumpy, or itchy skin are some possible side effects of exposure to alpha-isomethyl ionone although only a small percentage of people encounter these side effects.2 The chemical is also known to be toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects. It is also listed as a substance that can cause allergies in certain people.3

There are no direct alternatives to alpha-isomethyl ionone as the scent is quite unique, however, other synthetic fragrant chemicals can be used such as linalool that has a floral/spice scent, camphor which has a woody aroma scent or limonene that has a citrus fruit scent. Since alpha-isomethyl ionone does not pose any serious health or environmental issues, there are not any controversies surrounding it. 

Exam Questions:

1. What are the properties of alpha-isomethyl ionone that make the chemical desirable?

2. What are some of the possible side effects of applying alpha-isomethyl ionone on the skin?

3. What are some possible alternatives to alpha-isomethyl ionone that are used in fragrances?

References

1 alpha-isomethyl-ionone (YMDB01634). Yeast metabolome database. (n.d.). Retrieved January 27, 2023, from http://www.ymdb.ca/compounds/YMDB01634 

2 Alpha-isomethyl-ionone. The Fragrance Conservatory. (n.d.). Retrieved January 27, 2023, from https://fragranceconservatory.com/ingredient/alpha-iso-methyl-ionone#:~:text=About%20its%20safety&text=It%20has%20been%20identified%20by,bumpy%2C%20or%20itchy%20skin). 

3 Alpha-isomethyl ionone. Curious Chloride. (n.d.) Retrieved January 27, 2023, from https://www.curiouschloride.com/substances/alpha-isomethyl-ionone/ 

Alcohol In Your Cosmetics!? Cetyl Alcohol. Is It Good or Bad?

[African American woman applying cream on face]. (2020)

Alcohol in your cosmetics! Cetyl alcohol is an ingredient that you can find in your lotions, hair conditioners, and other cosmetics. Why is cetyl alcohol added to lots of products that claim to moisturize your hair and skin? Doesn't alcohol cause skin dryness and irritation? In this article, we will discuss some of cetyl alcohol’s features, why it’s added to cosmetic products, and its difference from regular alcohols.

To answer the question of why is cetyl alcohol added to moisturizing products, we need first to understand what are fatty alcohols and how they are different from the regular type of alcohol that we know. Cetyl alcohol is one type of fatty alcohol which has a special chemical structure. They consist of long carbon chains which is the reason for their thick and waxy consistency unlike other types of alcohol that are usually liquid form (Cafasso, 2022). This property makes cetyl alcohol a very useful ingredient for cosmetic products. 

Fatty alcohols have so many great properties that make them useful to add to cosmetic products. One of the great qualities of fatty alcohols is that they provide thickness to the products (Cafasso, 2022). That will prevent products from melting or becoming too liquid in hot weather. Additionally, unlike other alcohols that are used in sanitizing products such as rubbing alcohol which can cause skin dryness and irritation, fatty alcohols are considered amazing moisturizers (Cafasso, 2022). They prevent dryness and chapping of the skin because of their ability to bind water (1-Hexadecanol chemical structure, 2004). Finally, they consider great emulsifiers as they aid in blending oils and liquids which means that it helps creams to not separate into oil and liquid when it is added (Britannica, 2011).

Finally, In terms of toxicity, Based on the International Journal of Toxicology 2016’s report,  cetyl alcohol is a safe ingredient for cosmetics products in accordance with current usage habits. Therefore, you can keep using cetyl alcohol as it is an important ingredient in so many cosmetic products.

References 

Britannica, T. (2011, November 11). cetyl alcohol. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/science/cetyl-alcohol 

Cafasso, J. (2022). Cetearyl Alcohol: What you need to know about this common ingredient. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/cetearyl-alcohol 

International Journal of Toxicology. (2016). 5 Final Report on the Safety Assessment of Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Isostearyl Alcohol, Myristyl Alcohol, and Behenyl Alcohol. International Journal of Toxicology, vol. 7, no. 3, 1988, pp. 359-413. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.3109/10915818809023137  

Shimazaki, S. (2020). African American woman applying cream on face [photograph]. Pexel. https://www.pexels.com/photo/african-american-woman-applying-cream-on-face-5938590/

9  [1-Hexadecanol chemical structure]. (2004). National Center for Biotechnology Information. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/1-Hexadecanol.

 

Meet Niacinamide: Your New Favourite Chemical

 

   Niacinamide has been something of a rising star in the world of skincare, largely considered to be a holy grail for many very common skin issues. Among its plethora of benefits, there have been studies showing that it reverses and prevents signs of aging, calms inflammation,  and hydrates and supports the skin barrier. However, niacinamide is not limited to topical applications and the benefits it can provide are due to some chemical properties that we will cover below. 

    So what is niacinamide? Niacinamide is simply put, a water-soluble form of Vitamin B3, but what does this mean? Vitamin B3 is something called an essential vitamin which means that our body does not create it and that fact in combination with its water solubility means it is not stored in the body and is therefore important to replenish. A deficiency in this vitamin leads to a disease called pellagra which is diagnosed by the four D's: diarrhea, dermatitis, dementia, and, if left untreated, death. Lucky for us, there are many different sources of vitamin B3 such as read meat, poultry, fish, brown rice, nuts, seeds, legumes, and bananas. If these sources don't provide enough vitamin B3 for you, there are always supplements. 

    Luckily, there are little to no side effects to the consumption of niacinamide and a whole lot of benefits. The most notable of these benefits is the anti-aging. The way that it does this is its ability to act as an antioxidant and combat against free radicals or oxidative stress associated with normal aging and aging due to the sun. In other words, the niacinamide sacrifices itself to protect your DNA from damage which leads to aging. Additionally, niacinamide strengthens your skin's moisture barrier and improves its ability to hold on to moisture. 

    Niacinamide is not only a want for our bodies but a need! Get that vitamin B3 in any way possible and enjoy the health and aesthetic benefits to providing your body the chemicals that it needs to function properly.

 

Exam Questions:

1. Niacinamide is an antioxidant and by extension, protects from free radicals. How does it do that?

If 2. What is an essential vitamin? Give one example of an essential vitamin.

3. What disease do you get from a niacinamide deficiency?

Zinc Pyrithione

Figure 1. Shampoo containing zinc pyrithione is not allowed in Europe.

Figure 2. Chemical structure of zinc pyrithione.

Zinc pyrithione is a fine beige powder that is antibacterial, antifungal, and antimicrobial.2,3 It is mainly used to treat seborrheic dermatitis (dandruff)1,11, scalp psoriasis3,11, ring worm11 and athlete's foot.11 Another interesting use for zinc pyrithione is that it is used as a biocide for product preservation by preventing fouling. Some items include films, fibres, leather, rubber, polymers and construction materials.4,12 Zinc pyrithione can only be obtained through synthesis in a lab.10 Production includes three simple addition steps of aqueous solutions.10 Please refer to source 10 which is the patent for production, it includes the steps in detail if you are interested.

The European Union as of March 1, 2022, classified zinc pyrithione as a 1B CMR. A CMR is any substance that is carcinogenic, mutagenic or a reproductive toxin, while the 1B classifier means that this was verified through animal studies.5,6 Zinc pyrithione is not the most toxic substance out there but it can be pretty toxic in industrial concentrations. Its dermal LD50 is about 100mg/kg in rabbits.2 The LD50 of a substance is the lethal dose that it takes to kill half the population. Orally its LD50 is 177mg/kg for rats, 160mg/kg for mice and 600mg/kg for dogs.2,7 Inhaling zinc pyrithione is much more deadly with an LD50 of 140 ppm.2,7

The FDA limits how much zinc pyrithione is allowed in the products that we buy. They limit the percentage to 0.1-0.25% if the product is a apply and leave-on product. While the percentage for products that are applied and rinsed off must contain no more than 0.3-2% zinc pyrithione.13 

Some alternatives to zinc pyrithione include piroctone olamine8 and selenium sulphide9 being the most similar. Other options include Ketoconazole, coal tar, coconut oil, apple cider vinegar, essential tea tree oil and raw honey.3 The latter options are less effective in comparison to the before-mentioned synthesized options.

References:

[1] Pyrithione, 2010. DrugBank. https://go.drugbank.com/drugs/DB06815 (accessed February 7, 2023).

[2] Zinc pyrithione (T3D0740), 2014. Toxin and Toxin Target Database (T3DB).

http://www.t3db.ca/toxins/T3D0740 (accessed February 7, 2023).

[3] Gallagher, G. How Pyrithione Zinc Is Used in Skin Care.

  https://www.healthline.com/health/pyrithione-zinc#side-effects (accessed February 7, 2023).

            Healthline.

[4] Substance Infocard, Pyrithione zinc, 2022. European chemical agency (ECHA).

https://echa.europa.eu/substance-information/-/substanceinfo/100.033.324 (accessed February

7, 2023). An agency of the European Union.

[5] Santacatterina, F. Lilial and Zinc pyrithione banned in the EU, 2022. Obelis Group.

            https://www.obelis.net/news/lilial-and-zinc-pyrithione-banned-in-the-

            eu/#:~:text=The%20European%20Commission%20has%20prohibited,reproduction%20based

            %20on%20animal%20studies. (accessed February 7, 2023).

[6] Pro, L. CMR Category 1A/1B Substances, 2017. ChemSafetyPRO.

https://www.chemsafetypro.com/Topics/Restriction/REACH_annex_xvii_restriction_CMR_subst

ance_1A_1B.html (accessed February 7, 2023).

[7] OPINION ON Zinc Pyrithione (ZPT) (P81); CAS No. 13463-41-7 [Online]; Scientific Committees on

            Consumer Safety. https://health.ec.europa.eu/system/files/2021-11/sccs_o_236.pdf (accessed

            February 7, 2023). European Commission.

[8] Piroctone olamine. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piroctone_olamine (accessed February 7, 2023).

            Wikipedia.

[9] Selenium disulfide. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selenium_disulfide (accessed February 7, 2023).

            Wikipedia.

[10] Douglas A. Farmer; Jr., Madison; Lawrence E. Katz. PROCESS FOR PRODUCING SODUMAND

            ZINC PYRTHIONE. Patent 4,396,766, Apr 28, 1982.  

[11] Molecule of the Week Archive, Zinc pyrithione, 2014. American Chemical Society (ACS).

  https://www.acs.org/molecule-of-the-week/archive/z/zinc-pyrithione.html (accessed February 7,

            2023).

[12] Soon, Z. Y., Jung, J.-H., Jang, M., Kang, J.-H., Jang, M.-C., Lee, J.-S., & Kim, M. (2019). Zinc

            Pyrithione (ZnPT) as an Antifouling Biocide in the Marine Environment—a Literature Review of

            Its Toxicity, Environmental Fates, and Analytical Methods. Water, Air, and Soil Pollution,

            230(12). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-019-4361-0

[13] Code of Federal Regulations Title 21, 1994. US Drug & Food Administration.

            https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?fr=358.710#:~:text=

            (3)%20Pyrithione%20zinc%2C%200.1,acid%2C%201.8%20to%203%20percent.  (accessed

            February 7, 2023). Title 21, Volume 5, No. 21CFR358.710.

Figure 1. Shampoo containing zinc pyrithione is not allowed in Europe. 

Source 1: European map clipart, pink illustration.

https://www.rawpixel.com/image/6481398/image-public-domain-pink-illustrations (accessed

February 7, 2023). Rawpixel. Free public domain CC0 image.

Source 2: Head & Shoulders shampoo bottle, WikiMedia Commons.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Head_%26_Shoulders_shampoo_bottle.jpg (accessed

February 7, 2023). WikiMedia Commons. (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Figure 2. Chemical structure of zinc pyrithione. 

Source: PubChem.  Zinc pyrithione.

https://www.whatsinproducts.com/chemicals/view/1/971/013463-41-7/Zinc%20pyrithione

(accessed February 7, 2023). Reprinted with permission.