Names | |
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Preferred IUPAC name Butyl 4-hydroxybenzoate | |
Other names Butyl paraben; Butyl parahydroxybenzoate; Butyl p-hydroxybenzoate | |
Identifiers | |
3D model (JSmol) | |
ChEMBL | |
ChemSpider | |
ECHA InfoCard | 100.002.108 |
KEGG | |
PubChem CID | |
UNII | |
CompTox Dashboard (EPA) | |
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Properties | |
C11H14O3 | |
Molar mass | 194.230 g·mol−1 |
Appearance | Colorless, odorless, crystalline powder |
Melting point | 68 to 69 °C (154 to 156 °F; 341 to 342 K) |
Slightly soluble | |
Solubility in acetone, ethanol, chloroform, glycerin, propylene glycol | Soluble |
Hazards | |
NFPA 704 (fire diamond) | |
Pharmacology | |
Legal status |
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Related compounds | |
Related compounds | Paraben Ethylparaben Methylparaben Propylparaben |
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa). |
Butylparaben, or butyl p-hydroxybenzoate, is an organic compound with the formula C
4H
9O
2CC
6H
4OH. [1] It is a white solid that is soluble in organic solvents. It has proven to be a highly successful antimicrobial preservative in cosmetics. [2] It is also used in medication suspensions, and as a flavoring additive in food.
Members of the paraben family are found in fruit and vegetable products, such as barley, flax seed, and grapes. [3] Butylparaben has also been found to be produced in some microorganisms including Microbulbifer . [4]
Butylparaben is prepared by the esterification of 4-hydroxybenzoic acid with 1-butanol in the presence of an acid catalyst such as sulfuric acid. [5] It is produced industrially.
Butylparaben is one of the most common bactericidal/fungicidal additives in cosmetics. It has been used in cosmetic products since the 1940s and in pharmaceutical products since 1924. [6] The popularity of butylparaben in these products is due to its low toxicity in humans and its effective antimicrobial properties, in particular those against mold and yeast. [7] It is now found in more than 20,000 cosmetic products including eye shadow, facial moisturizer/treatment, anti-aging cream, foundation, and sunscreen. [8] It is also used as low-ionic strength solutions as a preservative in some foods and drugs. [5] In most cosmetics paraben is used at low levels, ranging from 0.01 to 0.3%. [9] Butylparaben is used in low concentrations in liquid and solid medication suspensions, such as Tylenol (acetaminophen) and ibuprofen. [10]
The exact mechanism of how parabens work is unknown but they are proposed to act by inhibiting DNA and RNA synthesis, and enzymes like ATPase and phosphotransferase in some bacterial species. It has also been suggested that they interfere with membrane transport processes by disrupting the lipid bilayer and possibly causing the leakage of intracellular constituents. [11]
Butylparaben has not escaped controversy, which itself is controversial. [12] [9]
In December 2010 the Scientific Committee on Consumer Products (SCCP) of the European Union reported that insufficient data is available to perform risk assessments for butylparaben in humans. [13] The committee has also stated that it considers the use of butylparaben and propylparaben as preservatives in finished cosmetic products as safe to the consumer, as long as the sum of their individual concentrations does not exceed 0.19%.
Denmark restricts butylparaben in products for use by children younger than the age of three. [13]
In 2003, butylparaben was approved for use as a flavor additive in food by the U.S. Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Health Organization. [1] [14] Butylparaben is also regulated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency under the U.S. Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976 and the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act. Its pesticide registration was canceled in 1998. [1]
in 2020 European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) added Butylparaben to very high concern (SVHC) in the Candidate List for eventual inclusion in Annex XIV REACH in category "Toxic for reproduction". [15]
Long-chained parabens, like butylparaben, are more estrogenic than short-chained parabens, like methyl- or ethylparaben. This difference is attributed to the greater lipophilicity of the former. [13] Butylparaben displayed the most competitive binding to rat estrogen receptors when tested along with methyl, ethyl, and propylparabens. [16]
Butylparaben can decrease sperm function and alter metabolic hormones. [13] Rats exposed to a high concentration of butylparaben during pregnancy gave birth to fewer pups, and pups with malformed reproductive organs. [1] Mice administered butylparaben at 0.01-1% body weight for ten weeks showed a decrease in serum testosterone concentration and in spermatid counts in the seminiferous tubules. [1]
It has been shown that butylparaben enter the body through the lungs, GI tract, and skin epithelium. [1]
It occurs in breast cancers at around 20.6±4.2 ng/g tissue. [1] However, parabens have not been proven to cause breast cancer. [9] Estimates by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition have found that the average person is exposed to about 37 ng of butylparaben per day. [1]
Butylparaben has been found in small concentrations in human breast fat and breast tumors. [1] A review by the National Toxicology Program concluded, "There is no evidence of demonstrable risk for the development of breast cancer caused by the use of paraben-containing underarm cosmetics." [17] Animal studies have been inconclusive. Oral administration of butylparaben to eight-week-old rats has caused tumors such as thymic lymphoma, non-thymic lymphoid leukemia, and myeloid leukemia. [1] Similar studies, however, have found no significant increase in tumors upon butylparaben administration. [1] Butylparaben is not listed as a carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. [18]
Butylparaben has been found in the sewage. A 2001 study found that concentrations of parabens in Danish sewage facilities was to 100 to 1000 times below the acute or chronic effect concentrations. [19]
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(help)A preservative is a substance or a chemical that is added to products such as food products, beverages, pharmaceutical drugs, paints, biological samples, cosmetics, wood, and many other products to prevent decomposition by microbial growth or by undesirable chemical changes. In general, preservation is implemented in two modes, chemical and physical. Chemical preservation entails adding chemical compounds to the product. Physical preservation entails processes such as refrigeration or drying. Preservative food additives reduce the risk of foodborne infections, decrease microbial spoilage, and preserve fresh attributes and nutritional quality. Some physical techniques for food preservation include dehydration, UV-C radiation, freeze-drying, and refrigeration. Chemical preservation and physical preservation techniques are sometimes combined.
Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), also known as dibutylhydroxytoluene, is a lipophilic organic compound, chemically a derivative of phenol, that is useful for its antioxidant properties. BHT is widely used to prevent free radical-mediated oxidation in fluids and other materials, and the regulations overseen by the U.S. F.D.A.—which considers BHT to be "generally recognized as safe"—allow small amounts to be added to foods. Despite this, and the earlier determination by the National Cancer Institute that BHT was noncarcinogenic in an animal model, societal concerns over its broad use have been expressed. BHT has also been postulated as an antiviral drug, but as of December 2022, use of BHT as a drug is not supported by the scientific literature and it has not been approved by any drug regulatory agency for use as an antiviral.
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A humectant is a hygroscopic (water-absorbing) substance used to keep things moist. They are used in many products, including food, cosmetics, medicines and pesticides. When used as a food additive, a humectant has the effect of keeping moisture in the food. Humectants are sometimes used as a component of antistatic coatings for plastics.
Sodium benzoate also known as benzoate of soda is the sodium salt of benzoic acid, widely used as a food preservative (with an E number of E211) and a pickling agent. It appears as a white crystalline chemical with the formula C6H5COONa.
Parabens are chemicals that are commonly used as preservatives in cosmetic and pharmaceutical products. Chemically, they are a series of parahydroxybenzoates or esters of parahydroxybenzoic acid. Research is being conducted to evaluate the potential health implications of paraben usage.
Sunless tanning, also known as UV filled tanning, self tanning, spray tanning, or fake tanning, refers to the effect of a suntan without exposure to the Sun. Sunless tanning involves the use of oral agents (carotenids), or creams, lotions or sprays applied to the skin. Skin-applied products may be skin-reactive agents or temporary bronzers (colorants).
Ethylparaben (ethyl para-hydroxybenzoate) is the ethyl ester of p-hydroxybenzoic acid. Its formula is HO-C6H4-CO-O-CH2CH3. It is a member of the class of compounds known as parabens.
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Potassium sorbate is the potassium salt of sorbic acid, chemical formula CH3CH=CH−CH=CH−CO2K. It is a white salt that is very soluble in water (58.2% at 20 °C). It is primarily used as a food preservative (E number 202). Potassium sorbate is effective in a variety of applications including food, wine, and personal-care products. While sorbic acid occurs naturally in rowan and hippophae berries, virtually all of the world's supply of sorbic acid, from which potassium sorbate is derived, is manufactured synthetically.
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