METHYLISOTHIAZOLINONE
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About the ratings
EWG provides information on personal care product ingredients from the published scientific literature, to supplement incomplete data available from companies and the government. The ratings below indicate the relative level of concern posed by exposure to the ingredients in this product - not the product itself - compared to other product formulations. The ratings reflect potential health hazards but do not account for the level of exposure or individual susceptibility, factors which determine actual health risks, if any.
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Function/use(s): Preservative
About METHYLISOTHIAZOLINONE: Methylisothiazolinone is a widely-used preservative; has been associated with allergic reactions. Lab studies on the brain cells of mammals also suggest that methylisothiazolinone may be neurotoxic.
Synonym(s): 3 (2H) -ISOTHIAZOLONE, 2-METHYL-; METHYLCHLOROISOTHIAZOLINONE225METHYLISOTHIAZOLINONE SOLUTION; 2-METHYL-3 (2H) -ISOTHIAZOLONE; 2-METHYL-4-ISOTHIAZOLIN-3-ONE; 2-METHYL- 3 (2H) -ISOTHIAZOLONE; 2-METHYL-2H-ISOTHIAZOL-3-ONE; 3 (2H) ISOTHIAZOLONE, 2METHYL; 2-METHYL-3 (2H) -ISOTHIAZOLONE; 2-METHYL-4-ISOTHIAZOLIN-3-ONE
Allergies/immunotoxicity |
| type of concern |
product conditions |
reference |
| Known human immune system toxicant |
|
National Library of Medicine HazMap |
| Human skin toxicant - strong evidence |
|
Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments |
| Human skin toxicant - strong evidence |
|
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| Limited evidence of immune system toxicity |
|
A Relational Database of Hazardous Chemicals and Occupational Diseases, 1991 |
Use restrictions |
| type of concern |
product conditions |
reference |
| Restricted in cosmetics (recommendations or requirements) - use, concentration, or manufacturing restrictions - Use is restricted in Canadian cosmetics |
|
Canada - Prohibited and Restricted Cosmetics Ingredients |
| Restricted in cosmetics (recommendations or requirements) - use, concentration, or manufacturing restrictions - Japan - concentration limit in some types of cosmetics when combined with certain other ingredient(s) |
|
Japan's Standards for Cosmetics |
| Determined safe for use in cosmetics, subject to concentration or use limitations - Safe for use in cosmetics with some qualifications |
|
Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments |
Neurotoxicity |
| type of concern |
product conditions |
reference |
| One or more in vitro tests on mammalian cells demonstrate neurotoxicity |
|
Du S, McLaughlin BA, Pal S, AizenmanIn E, 2002 |
Data gaps |
| type of concern |
product conditions |
reference |
| 180 studies in PubMed science library may include information on the toxicity of this chemical
see search results ->
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|
PubMed |
Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive) |
| type of concern |
product conditions |
reference |
| Classified as not expected to be potentially toxic or harmful |
|
Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Persistence and bioaccumulation |
| type of concern |
product conditions |
reference |
| Not suspected to be bioaccumulative |
|
Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
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| Not suspected to be persistent |
|
Environment Canada Domestic Substance List | |
Ecotoxicology |
| type of concern |
product conditions |
reference |
| Not suspected to be an environmental toxin |
|
Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Government, industry, academic studies and classifications |
| government/industry list/academic study |
appears on list as |
classification(s) |
| Canada - Prohibited and Restricted Cosmetics Ingredients | METHYLISOTHIAZOLINONE | Restricted |
| Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments | METHYLISOTHIAZOLINONE | QQQ02,QQQ07; R+, D+, M+, C-, S |
| Environment Canada Domestic Substance List | 3(2H)-ISOTHIAZOLONE, 2-METHYL- | ,,,,,,,,, |
| IFRA Fragrance Ingredient List | 2 - METHYL - 2H - ISOTHIAZOL - 3 - ONE | reported as used in fragrance compounds in 2008 |
| National Library of Medicine HazMap | METHYLISOTHIAZOLINONE | SS: Yes; |
| Japan's Standards for Cosmetics | METHYL ISOTHIAZOLINONE | Japan - concentration limit in some types of cosmetics when combined with certain other ingredient(s) |
| Du S, McLaughlin BA, Pal S, AizenmanIn E, 2002 | METHYLISOTHIAZOLINONE | In-vitro study demonstrates this common biocide is highly toxic to neurons. |
| A Relational Database of Hazardous Chemicals and Occupational Diseases, 1991 | METHYL-4-ISOTHIAZOLIN | Immunotoxicity Hazards: suspected |
references |
| government/industry list/academic study
| reference
|
| Canada - Prohibited and Restricted Cosmetics Ingredients | Health Canada. 2007. List of Prohibited and Restricted Cosmetic Ingredients. Canada's Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist. March 2007. |
| Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments | CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review). 2006. CIR Compendium, containing abstracts, discussions, and conclusions of CIR cosmetic ingredient safety assessments. Washington DC. |
| Environment Canada Domestic Substance List | EC (Environment Canada). 2008. Domestic Substances List Categorization. Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) Environmental Registry. |
| IFRA Fragrance Ingredient List | IFRA (International Fragrance Assocication). 2010. IFRA Fragrance Ingredient List based on 2008 Use Survey. Accessed online 01/04/2010: http://www.ifraorg.org/Home/News/Latest-News/page.aspx/66?xf_itemId=43&xf_selectionDatapartId=25 |
| National Library of Medicine HazMap | NLM (National Library of Medicine). 2006. HazMap — Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Agents. |
| Japan's Standards for Cosmetics | Japan Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. 2006. Standards for Cosmetics. Evaluation and Licensing Division. Pharmaceutical and Food Safety Bureau. |
| Open scientific literature | Du S, McLaughlin BA, Pal S, AizenmanIn E. 2002. In Vitro Neurotoxicity of Methylisothiazolinone, a Commonly Used Industrial and Household Biocide, Proceeds via a Zinc and Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase-Dependent Pathway. The Journal of Neuroscience, September 1, 2002, 22(17):7408-7416. |
| Scorecard.org Toxicity Information | A Relational Database of Hazardous Chemicals and Occupational Diseases. Browse Haz-Map by Adverse Effects http://hazmap.nlm.nih.gov/hazmapadv.html, Nordic Council of Ministers (Nordic Allergy Project). Kriteriedokumenter fra nordisk allergiprojekt - vurdering af 50 kemiske stoffers evne til at forarsage allergi, en litteraturgennemgang. Nord 1991:51. Copenhagen, 1991. |
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