Health Concerns of the Ingredient:
Overall Hazard
Developmental &
reproductive toxicity
Allergies & immunotoxicity
About SILICA, AMORPHOUS: Silica is the most common constituent of sand. Fine silica, typically used in industrial applications and inhaled by workers, is associated with a wide range of disorders, particularly affecting the l ... read more
About SILICA, AMORPHOUS: Silica is the most common constituent of sand. Fine silica, typically used in industrial applications and inhaled by workers, is associated with a wide range of disorders, particularly affecting the lungs and respiratory system. In cosmetics for skin use, regular sand presents little, if any risk to people. In contrast, for products that might be inhaled (such as a facial powder), silica particles are finely ground down and may be associated with respiratory toxicity.
Function(s): Abrasive; Absorbent; Anticaking Agent; Bulking Agent; Opacifying Agent; Suspending Agent- Nonsurfactant
Synoym(s): SILICA, SILICON DIOXIDE; AMORPHOUS SILICA; AMORPHOUS SILICON OXIDE HYDRATE; FUMED SILICON DIOXIDE; ROSE ABSOLUTE; SILICIC ANHYDRIDE; SILICON DIOXIDE; SILICON DIOXIDE, FUMED; SPHERON P-1000; SPHERON PL-700; ACCUSAND
Persistence and bioaccumulation
| Concern |
Reference |
|---|
| Persistent, bioaccumulative in wildlife and humans (only for products that may be aerosolized (airborne)) | National Library of Medicine HazMap |
| Persistent, bioaccumulative in wildlife (only for products that may be aerosolized (airborne)) | National Library of Medicine HazMap |
| Not suspected to be bioaccumulative | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)
| Concern |
Reference |
|---|
| Limited evidence of gastrointestinal or liver toxicity (only for products that may be aerosolized (airborne)) | Dossing, M |
| Limited evidence of respiratory toxicity (only for products that may be aerosolized (airborne)) | A Relational Database of Hazardous Chemicals and Occupational Diseases |
| Limited evidence of kidney toxicity (only for products that may be aerosolized (airborne)) | Landrigan, P |
| Classified as not expected to be potentially toxic or harmful | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
| Classified as a low human health priority | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Cancer
| Concern |
Reference |
|---|
| Cancer - not classifiable/not likely to be human carcinogen (only for products that may be aerosolized (airborne)) | Int'l Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) - Carcinogens |
Data gaps
| Concern |
Reference |
|---|
| Risk assessment method deficiencies and data gaps - Maximum reported "as used" concentration is basis of safety assessment by industry safety panel (Cosmetic Ingredient Review, CIR) - implicit safe concentration limit in product | Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments |
| 53,892 studies in PubMed science library may include information on the toxicity of this chemical see search results -> | NLM PubMed |
Multiple, additive exposure sources
| Concern |
Reference |
|---|
| Designated as safe for general or specific, limited use in food (only for products that may be aerosolized (airborne)) | FDA Food Additive Status |
| Designated as safe for general or specific, limited use in food (only for products that may be aerosolized (airborne)) | FDA Everything Added to Food |
Ecotoxicology
| Concern |
Reference |
|---|
| Not suspected to be an environmental toxin | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Data Sources
| A Relational Database of Hazardous Chemicals and Occupational Diseases. Browse Haz-Map by Adverse Effects http://hazmap.nlm.nih.gov/hazmapadv.html; Klaassen, C., M. Amdur and J. Doull (eds.). Casarett and Doull |
| AOEC (Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics). 2009. AEOC exposures codes and asthmagen designation. |
| CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review). 2006. CIR Compendium, containing abstracts, discussions, and conclusions of CIR cosmetic ingredient safety assessments. Washington DC. |
| Dossing, M. and P. Skinhoj. Occupational Liver Injury. Present State of Knowledge and Future Perspectives. International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health. 56:1-21. 1985. (Table 2: Chemically induced liver injury: morphologic features and examples of confirmed and suspected causative agents). |
| EC (Environment Canada). 2008. Domestic Substances List Categorization. Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) Environmental Registry. |
| FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) 2006. Food Additive Status List. Downloaded from http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/%7Edms/opa-appa.html, Oct 16, 2006. |
| FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration). 2008. EAFUS [Everything Added to Food]: A Food Additive Database. FDA Office of Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. |
| IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer). 2008. Overall Evaluations of Carcinogenicity to Humans, as evaluated in IARC Monographs Volumes 1-99 (a total of 935 agents, mixtures and exposures). |
| 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 |
| Landrigan, P.J., Goyer, R.A. Clarkson, T.W., Sandler, D.P., Smith, J.H., Thun, M.J., and R. Wedeen. The Work-Relatedness of Renal Disease. Archives of Environmental Health. 39(3): 225-230. 1984. (Table 2: Estimated Numbers of Workers in the United States with Potential Occupational Exposures to Known or Suspect Nephrotoxins). |
| NLM (National Library of Medicine). 2006. HazMap — Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Agents. |
| NLM (National Library of Medicine). 2012. PubMed online scientific bibliography data. http://www.pubmed.gov. |
Products Containing the Ingredient
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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