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DIETHANOLAMINE
Score
Data: Good
CAS111-42-2
anti-fungal treatment (4 products)
sunscreen: moisturizer (4 products)
moisturizer (3 products)
athlete's foot treatment (3 products)
anti-itch/ rash cream (2 products)
Show all 18 products that contain DIETHANOLAMINE.
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DIETHANOLAMINE


image source: PubChem
Health concerns of ingredient
About the ratings
Canceryes
Developmental & reproductive toxicityyes
Allergies & immunotoxicityyes
Use restrictionsyes
Contamination concerns: NITROSAMINES
Other HIGH concerns: Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs), Occupational hazards

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. Learn more | Legal Disclaimer

Function/use(s): pH Adjuster

About DIETHANOLAMINE: Diethanolamine is an aliphatic amine.

Synonym(s): N,N-DIETHANOLAMINE; 2,2'-DIHYDROXYDIETHYLAMINE; 2,2'-IMINOBISETHANOL; 2,2'-IMINODIETHANOL; ETHANOL, 2,2 IMINOBIS; DEA (EWG) ; 2,2'-DIHYDROXYDIETHYLAMINE; 2,2'-IMINOBISETHANOL; 2,2'-IMINODIETHANOL; 2- (2-HYDROXYETHYLAMINO) ETHANOL; BIS (2-HYDROXYETHYL) AMINE

Allergies/immunotoxicity

type of concern product conditions reference
Human skin toxicant - strong evidence    Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments
Human immune and respiratory toxicant - strong evidence    Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics
Human immune system toxicant - moderate evidence    National Library of Medicine HazMap

Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)

type of concern product conditions reference
Known human respiratory toxicant    EPA Hazardous Air Pollutants
Classified as expected to be toxic or harmful    Environment Canada Domestic Substance List
show more

Cancer

type of concern product conditions reference
Cancer - limited evidence    National Toxicology Program, 2001
show more

Occupational hazards

type of concern product conditions reference
Allowed workplace exposures restricted to low doses    European Union - Classification & Labelling

Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs)

type of concern product conditions reference
Classified as irritant    European Union - Classification & Labelling
Human skin irritant - moderate evidence    National Library of Medicine HazMap

Developmental/reproductive toxicity

type of concern product conditions reference
One or more animal studies show neurodevelopmental effects at moderate doses    Craciunescu CN, Wu R, Zeisel SH, 2006

Use restrictions

type of concern product conditions reference
Determined safe for use in cosmetics, subject to concentration or use limitations - Safe for use in cosmetics with some qualifications   Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments

Data gaps

type of concern product conditions reference
1,650 studies in PubMed science library may include information on the toxicity of this chemical see search results ->   PubMed

Government, industry, academic studies and classifications
government/industry list/academic study appears on list as classification(s)
European Union - Classification & Labelling2,2'-IMINODIETHANOLXn; R22-48/22; Xi; R38-41
Cosmetic Ingredient Review AssessmentsDIETHANOLAMINEQQQ02,QQQ07,QQQ06; N, S, M-
EPA Hazardous Air PollutantsDIETHANOLAMINEHazardous Air Pollutant
National Library of Medicine HazMapDIETHANOLAMINEAS: Yes;SD: Yes;DE: Skin Burns;TL: 0.46 ppm;
Int'l Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) - CarcinogensDIETHANOLAMINEIARC GROUP 3
EPA Categorized List of Inert Pesticide IngredientsDIETHANOLAMINEList 2 Inert
EPA Toxic Release Inventory PBTsDIETHANOLAMINEToxic under the EPA's Toxics Release Inventory
US EPA, Air Risk Information Support CenterDIETHANOLAMINERespiratory Toxicity Hazards: suspected
National Toxicology Program, 2001DIETHANOLAMINECancer Hazards: suspected
California EPA, Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, 2003DIETHANOLAMINECardiovascular or Blood Toxicity Hazards: suspected
Craciunescu CN, Wu R, Zeisel SH, 2006DIETHANOLAMINEMaternal exposure to DEA interferes with brain development (hippocampus region), and this could permanently alter memory function in offspring of mothers exposed to this common ingredient of shampoos and soaps.
Environment Canada Domestic Substance ListETHANOL, 2,2'-IMINOBIS-Y-Categorization,Y-Human health,Moderate-Health Priority,,,,,,,
Association of Occupational and Environmental ClinicsDIETHANOLAMINE• ARs
US EPA, Air Risk Information Support CenterDIETHANOLAMINESkin or Sense Organ Toxicity Hazards: suspected

Other RTECS® classifications [shown for informational purposes only]
government/industry list/academic study appears on list as classification(s)
RTECS®- TLV/BEI,2005DIETHANOLAMINE• occupationally related - ACGIH TLV (human TWA)
RTECS®- TLV/BEI,2006DIETHANOLAMINE• occupationally related - ACGIH TLV (human TWA)
RTECS®- TLV/BEI,2007DIETHANOLAMINE• occupationally related - ACGIH TLV (human TWA)
RTECS®- "Prehled Prumyslove Toxikologie; Organicke Latky," Marhold, J 1986DIETHANOLAMINE• sense organ - Primary eye irritant (rabbit )
• skin - Primary skin irritant (rabbit )
RTECS®- American Journal of Ophthalmology 1946DIETHANOLAMINE• sense organ - Primary eye irritant (rabbit )
RTECS®- American Journal of Ophthalmology 1946DIETHANOLAMINE• sense organ - Primary eye irritant (rabbit )
RTECS®- Chemico-Biological Interactions 2003DIETHANOLAMINE• cancer - liver neoplasms (mouse TDLo)
RTECS®- Food and Chemical Toxicology 2004DIETHANOLAMINE• cancer - Cells (cultured) transformed (mouse TDLo)
• liver - Changes in liver weight (mouse TDLo)
• skin - Corrosive (mouse TDLo)
• liver - Other changes (mouse TDLo)
RTECS®- National Technical Information Service 3718DIETHANOLAMINE• metabolic - Weight loss or decreased weight gain (rat TDLo)
• kidney or renal system - Changes in kidney weight (rat TDLo)
• brain, nervous system, or behavioral effect - Fluid intake (rat TDLo)
• brain, nervous system, or behavioral effect - Food intake (animal) (rat TDLo)
• skin - Hair (rat TDLo)
• brain, nervous system, or behavioral effect - Sleep (rat TDLo)
• brain, nervous system, or behavioral effect - Tremor (rat TDLo)
RTECS®- National Technical Information Service 7553DIETHANOLAMINE• cancer - liver tumors (mouse TDLo)
RTECS®- National Toxicology Program Technical Report Series 3343DIETHANOLAMINE• reproductive - Spermatogenesis (rat TDLo)
• kidney or renal system - Changes in bladder weight (rat TDLo)
• cardiovascular - Changes in heart weight (mouse TDLo)
• liver - Changes in liver weight (rat TDLo)
• endocrine system - Changes in testicular weight (rat TDLo)
• biochemical - Dehydrogenases (rat TDLo)
• skin - Dermatitis, other (mouse TDLo)
• blood - Normocytic anemia (rat TDLo)
• kidney or renal system - Other changes in urine composition (rat TDLo)
• biochemical - Transaminases (mouse TDLo)
RTECS®- National Toxicology Program Technical Report Series 1999DIETHANOLAMINE• cancer - liver tumors (mouse TDLo)
RTECS®- Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology 1999DIETHANOLAMINE• reproductive - Musculoskeletal system (rat TDLo)
• reproductive - Other effects (rabbit TDLo)
RTECS®- Toxicologist 2001DIETHANOLAMINE• kidney or renal system - Other changes (mouse TDLo)
RTECS®- Toxicologist 2003DIETHANOLAMINE• mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: Unscheduled DNA Synthesis (rat lvr)
RTECS®- Toxicologist 2003DIETHANOLAMINE• mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: Unscheduled DNA Synthesis (rat lvr)
RTECS®- Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology 1970DIETHANOLAMINE• blood - Normocytic anemia (rat TDLo)
• liver - Other changes (rat TDLo)
RTECS®- Union Carbide Data Sheet 1971DIETHANOLAMINE• skin - Primary skin irritant (rabbit )

references
government/industry list/academic study reference
European Union - Classification & LabellingCPS&Q (Consumer Products Safety & Quality) formely known as ECB (European Chemicals Bureau). 2008. Classification and Labelling: Chemicals: Annex VI of Directive 67/548/EEC through the 31st ATP.
Cosmetic Ingredient Review AssessmentsCIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review). 2006. CIR Compendium, containing abstracts, discussions, and conclusions of CIR cosmetic ingredient safety assessments. Washington DC.
EPA Hazardous Air PollutantsEPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). 2005. Office of Air. The 112(b)1 Hazardous Air Pollutants List (as modified). Last modified: 12 Dec 2005.
National Library of Medicine HazMapNLM (National Library of Medicine). 2006. HazMap — Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Agents.
Int'l Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) - CarcinogensIARC (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).
EPA Categorized List of Inert Pesticide IngredientsEPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). 1987 & 2005. Office of Pesticide Programs. Inert (other) Pesticide Ingredients in Pesticide Products - Categorized List of Inert (other) Pesticide Ingredients.
EPA Toxic Release Inventory PBTsEPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). 1999. Toxics Release Inventory Program. PBT Chemical Rule.
Scorecard.org Toxicity InformationUS EPA, Air Risk Information Support Center. Health Effects Notebook for Hazardous Air Pollutants. http://www.epa.gov/ttnatw01/hlthef/hapindex.html, A Relational Database of Hazardous Chemicals and Occupational Diseases. Browse Haz-Map by Adverse Effects http://hazmap.nlm.nih.gov/hazmapadv.html
Scorecard.org Toxicity InformationNational Toxicology Program. Summary for Agents, Substances, Mixtures or Exposure Circumstances to be Reviewed in 2001-2002 for Possible Listing in the Report on Carcinogens, Eleventh Edition. NTP Board of Scientific Counselors, NTP, Research Triangle Park, NC.http://ntp-server.niehs.nih.gov/NewHomeRoc/11thConsideration.html National Toxicology Program. Summary for Agents, Substances, Mixtures or Exposure Circumstances to be Reviewed in 2004-2005 for Possible Listing in the Report on Carcinogens, Twelfth Edition. NTP Board of Scientific Counselors, NTP, Research Triangle Park, NC. http://ntp-server.niehs.nih.gov/NewHomeRoc/12thConsideration.html
Scorecard.org Toxicity InformationCalifornia EPA, Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment. Air Toxics Hot Spots Program Risk Assessment Guidelines, Part III: Technical Support Document 'Determination of Noncancer Chronic Reference Exposure Levels'. Includes all Chronic Reference Exposure Levels (CRELs) adopted by OEHHA as of August 2003 (http://www.oehha.ca.gov/air/chronic_rels/AllChrels.html, plus draft CRELS proposed through March 2004 (http://www.oehha.ca.gov/air/chronic_rels/index.html., National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health's Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances. See Environmental Defense's Suspect Hazard Identification documentation.
Open scientific literatureCraciunescu CN, Wu R, Zeisel SH. "Diethanolamine alters neurogenesis and induces apoptosis in fetal mouse hippocampus." FASEB J. 2006 Aug;20(10):1635-40.
Environment Canada Domestic Substance ListEC (Environment Canada). 2008. Domestic Substances List Categorization. Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) Environmental Registry.
Association of Occupational and Environmental ClinicsAOEC (Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics). 2009. AEOC exposures codes and asthmagen designation.
Scorecard.org Toxicity InformationUS EPA, Air Risk Information Support Center. Health Effects Notebook for Hazardous Air Pollutants. http://www.epa.gov/ttnatw01/hlthef/hapindex.html, A Relational Database of Hazardous Chemicals and Occupational Diseases. Browse Haz-Map by Adverse Effects http://hazmap.nlm.nih.gov/hazmapadv.html
RTECS®- TLV/BEI,2005 [shown for informational purposes only]RTECS®- TLV/BEI,2005
RTECS®- TLV/BEI,2006 [shown for informational purposes only]RTECS®- TLV/BEI,2006
RTECS®- TLV/BEI,2007 [shown for informational purposes only]RTECS®- TLV/BEI,2007
RTECS®- "Prehled Prumyslove Toxikologie; Organicke Latky," Marhold, J 1986 [shown for informational purposes only]RTECS®- "Prehled Prumyslove Toxikologie; Organicke Latky," Marhold, J., Prague, Czechoslovakia, Avicenum, 1986 -,685,1986
RTECS®- American Journal of Ophthalmology 1946 [shown for informational purposes only]RTECS®- American Journal of Ophthalmology. (Ophthalmic Pub. Co., 435 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 1415, Chicago, IL 60611) Series 3: V.1- 1918- 29,1363,1946
RTECS®- American Journal of Ophthalmology 1946 [shown for informational purposes only]RTECS®- American Journal of Ophthalmology. (Ophthalmic Pub. Co., 435 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 1415, Chicago, IL 60611) Series 3: V.1- 29,1363,1946
RTECS®- Chemico-Biological Interactions 2003 [shown for informational purposes only]RTECS®- Chemico-Biological Interactions. (Elsevier Scientific Pub. Ireland Ltd., POB 85, Limerick, Ireland) V.1- 1969- 146,251,2003
RTECS®- Food and Chemical Toxicology 2004 [shown for informational purposes only]RTECS®- Food and Chemical Toxicology. (Pergamon Press Inc., Maxwell House, Fairview Park, Elmsford, NY 10523) V.20- 1982- 42,127,2004
RTECS®- National Technical Information Service 3718 [shown for informational purposes only]RTECS®- National Technical Information Service. (Springfield, VA 22161) Formerly U.S. Clearinghouse for Scientific & Technical Information. #PB2001-103718
RTECS®- National Technical Information Service 7553 [shown for informational purposes only]RTECS®- National Technical Information Service. (Springfield, VA 22161) Formerly U.S. Clearinghouse for Scientific & Technical Information. PB99-167553
RTECS®- National Toxicology Program Technical Report Series 3343 [shown for informational purposes only]RTECS®- National Toxicology Program Technical Report Series. (Research Triangle Park, NC 27709) No.206- NIH-92-3343
RTECS®- National Toxicology Program Technical Report Series 1999 [shown for informational purposes only]RTECS®- National Toxicology Program Technical Report Series. (Research Triangle Park, NC 27709) No.206- NTP-TR-478,1999
RTECS®- Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology 1999 [shown for informational purposes only]RTECS®- Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology. (Academic Press, Inc., 1 E. First St., Duluth, MN 55802) V.1- 1981- 30,169,1999
RTECS®- Toxicologist 2001 [shown for informational purposes only]RTECS®- Toxicologist. (Soc. of Toxicology, Inc., 475 Wolf Ledge Parkway, Akron, OH 44311) V.1- -1981 60,287,2001
RTECS®- Toxicologist 2003 [shown for informational purposes only]RTECS®- Toxicologist. (Soc. of Toxicology, Inc., 475 Wolf Ledge Parkway, Akron, OH 44311) V.1- -1981 72,238,2003
RTECS®- Toxicologist 2003 [shown for informational purposes only]RTECS®- Toxicologist. (Soc. of Toxicology, Inc., 475 Wolf Ledge Parkway, Akron, OH 44311) V.1- 1981- 72,238,2003
RTECS®- Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology 1970 [shown for informational purposes only]RTECS®- Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology. (Academic Press, Inc., 1 E. First St., Duluth, MN 55802) V.1- 1959- 17,308,1970
RTECS®- Union Carbide Data Sheet 1971 [shown for informational purposes only]RTECS®- Union Carbide Data Sheet. (Union Carbide Corp., 39 Old Ridgebury Rd., Danbury, CT 06817) 12/29/1971

"RTECS®" is a United States trademark owned and licensed under authority of the U.S. Government, by and through MDL Information Systems, Inc.