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HYDROQUINONE
Score:
Data: Good
- Other Concerns
- Functions
- About the Chemical
- Synonyms
-
Use restrictions (high), Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (high), and Ecotoxicology (low)
Cancer 
Cancer: Ingredients linked to cancer in government, industry or academic studies or assessments.
Developmental & Reproductive Toxicity
Developmental and reproductive toxicity: Ingredients linked to developmental and reproductive toxicity, a broad class of health effects that range from infertility and reproductive organ cancers to birth defects and developmental delays in children.
Allergies & Immunotoxicity
Allergies and immunotoxicity: Ingredients linked to harm to the immune system, a class of health problems that manifest as allergic reactions or an impaired capacity to fight disease and repair damaged tissue in the body.
Products with this Ingredient
| serums & essences | 1 products |
| nail glue | 1 products |
Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Known human respiratory toxicant | EPA Hazardous Air Pollutants |
| Classified as a high human health priority | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
| Classified as expected to be toxic or harmful | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
| One or more animal studies show classified as toxic effects at low doses | EPA Categorized List of Inert Pesticide Ingredients |
| Limited evidence of cardiovascular or blood toxicity | National Library of Medicine HazMap |
| Limited evidence of sense organ toxicity | US 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, Klaassen, C., M. Amdur and J. Doull (eds.). Casarett and Doull's Toxicology. The Basic Science of Poisons, 5th Ed. Pergamon Press, NY. 1996., LaDou, J. (ed.). Occupational Medicine. Appleton & Lange, Norwalk, CN. 1990., Timbrell, J.A. Introduction to Toxicology. Taylor and Francis, New York. 1995. (Table 5.1: Types of skin sensitizers). |
| One or more animal studies show classified as toxic effects at moderate doses (low dose studies may be unavailable for this ingredient) | EPA Toxic Release Inventory PBTs |
Use restrictions
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Violation of government restrictions - Banned or found unsafe for use in cosmetics | CosIng |
| Violation of industry recommendations - Restricted in cosmetics; use, concentration, or manufacturing restrictions - Safe for brief discontinuous use followed by thorough rinsing | Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments |
| Restricted in cosmetics (recommendations or requirements) - use, concentration, or manufacturing restrictions - Use is restricted in Canadian cosmetics | Canada - Prohibited and Restricted Cosmetics Ingredients |
| Determined safe for use in cosmetics, subject to concentration or use limitations - Safe for use in cosmetics with some qualifications | Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments |
| Determined safe for use in cosmetics, subject to concentration or use limitations - any | CTFA International Cosmetic Ingredient Dictionary and Handbook |
Allergies/immunotoxicity
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Human skin toxicant or allergen - strong evidence | Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments |
| Human skin toxicant or allergen - strong evidence | EWG Assessment of Open Scientific Literature |
| Limited evidence of immune system toxicity or allergies | A Relational Database of Hazardous Chemicals and Occupational Diseases Browse Haz-Map by Adverse Effects http://hazmap.nlm.nih.gov/hazmapadv.html, Swedish National Chemicals Inspectorate. Labelling of chemical products, Swedish regulations and general advice with regard to the classification and labelling of chemical products hazardous to health, flammables and explosives. List of Allergenic Substances. National Chemicals Inspectorate, Solna, Sweden. 1987, 1990-1992. |
| Limited evidence of immune system toxicity or allergies | National Library of Medicine HazMap |
Cancer
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Limited evidence of carcinogenicity | CPS&Q - Classification & Labelling |
| Limited evidence of carcinogenicity | Amer Conf of Gov't Industrial Hygienists - Carcinogens |
| Cancer - limited evidence | CTFA International Cosmetic Ingredient Dictionary and Handbook |
| Cancer - limited evidence | Carcinogenic Potency Database http://potency.berkeley.edu/app14.html Environmental Defense reviewed this compilation of results on carcinogenicity in rats and mice covering 1298 chemicals and added any chemical with positive results in at least two species by a relevant route of exposure to its list of suspect carcinogens. |
| Limited or incomplete evidence of cancer according to safety/hazard data – government assessment cannot classify as human carcinogen due to data gaps | World Health Organization, International Agency for Research on Cancer IARC Monographs Programme on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans. Lists of Group 1, 2a, and 2b substances can be obtained. http://monographs.iarc.fr/ENG/Classification/index.php; Vol 15, Suppl. 7, 71 ;1999 |
Developmental/reproductive toxicity
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Limited evidence of reproductive toxicity | Frazier , L and M. L. Hage (eds.). Reproductive Hazards of the Workplace, Wiley Europe, 1998. Table 10 (Partial List of Reproductive Toxicants) available at http://www.pharmacy.ohio-state.edu/homepage/safety/chemhygiene_table_repro.pdf. |
Ecotoxicology
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Wildlife and environmental toxicity | CPS&Q - Classification & Labelling |
| Suspected to be an environmental toxin | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
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 |
| 6109 studies in PubMed science library may include information on the toxicity of this chemical | NLM PubMed |
Informational
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Industry or government recommendations for safe use: restrictions on concentration, impurities, product types, or manufacturing methods - Safe for brief discontinuous use followed by thorough rinsing | Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments |
Persistence and bioaccumulation
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Not suspected to be persistent | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
| Not suspected to be bioaccumulative | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Data Sources
- EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). 2005. Office of Air. The 112(b)1 Hazardous Air Pollutants List (as modified). Last modified: 12 Dec 2005.
- EC (Environment Canada). 2008. Domestic Substances List Categorization. Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) Environmental Registry.
- EPA (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.
- NLM (National Library of Medicine). 2006. HazMap — Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Agents.
- US 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, Klaassen, C., M. Amdur and J. Doull (eds.). Casarett and Doull's Toxicology. The Basic Science of Poisons, 5th Ed. Pergamon Press, NY. 1996., LaDou, J. (ed.). Occupational Medicine. Appleton & Lange, Norwalk, CN. 1990., Timbrell, J.A. Introduction to Toxicology. Taylor and Francis, New York. 1995. (Table 5.1: Types of skin sensitizers).
- EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). 1999. Toxics Release Inventory Program. PBT Chemical Rule.
- European Commission. 2013. Cosing, the European Commission database with information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. Accessed on March 1, 2013 at http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/cosmetics/cosing/ .
- CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review). 2006. CIR Compendium, containing abstracts, discussions, and conclusions of CIR cosmetic ingredient safety assessments. Washington DC.
- Health Canada. 2007. List of Prohibited and Restricted Cosmetic Ingredients. Canada's Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist. March 2007.
- CTFA (Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association). 2006. International Cosmetic Ingredient Dictionary and Handbook, 11th Edition. Color Additive Information. Washington, DC.
- EWG Assessment of Open Scientific Literature
- A Relational Database of Hazardous Chemicals and Occupational Diseases Browse Haz-Map by Adverse Effects http://hazmap.nlm.nih.gov/hazmapadv.html, Swedish National Chemicals Inspectorate. Labelling of chemical products, Swedish regulations and general advice with regard to the classification and labelling of chemical products hazardous to health, flammables and explosives. List of Allergenic Substances. National Chemicals Inspectorate, Solna, Sweden. 1987, 1990-1992.
- CPS&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.
- ACGIH (American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists) 2008. ACGIH cancer classification system. www.acgih.org.
- Carcinogenic Potency Database http://potency.berkeley.edu/app14.html Environmental Defense reviewed this compilation of results on carcinogenicity in rats and mice covering 1298 chemicals and added any chemical with positive results in at least two species by a relevant route of exposure to its list of suspect carcinogens.
- World Health Organization, International Agency for Research on Cancer IARC Monographs Programme on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans. Lists of Group 1, 2a, and 2b substances can be obtained. http://monographs.iarc.fr/ENG/Classification/index.php; Vol 15, Suppl. 7, 71 ;1999
- Frazier , L and M. L. Hage (eds.). Reproductive Hazards of the Workplace, Wiley Europe, 1998. Table 10 (Partial List of Reproductive Toxicants) available at http://www.pharmacy.ohio-state.edu/homepage/safety/chemhygiene_table_repro.pdf.
- NLM (National Library of Medicine). 2012. PubMed online scientific bibliography data. http://www.pubmed.gov.
- This ingredient’s score is higher if used in products that will not be immediately rinsed off due to increased risk of absorption.
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