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ZINC OXIDE (sunscreen grade > 100nm)
Score:
Data: Good
- Other Concerns
- Functions
- About the Chemical
- Synonyms
-
Enhanced skin absorption, Persistence and bioaccumulation (low), Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (moderate), Ecotoxicology (low), Occupational hazards (moderate), and Biochemical or cellular level changes (high)
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
| beach & sport sunscreen | 415 products |
| moisturizer with SPF | 276 products |
| baby sunscreen | 56 products |
| lip balm with SPF | 31 products |
| CC cream | 31 products |
| diaper cream | 29 products |
| BB cream | 24 products |
| foundation | 7 products |
| makeup with SPF | 6 products |
| lipstick | 1 products |
| facial moisturizer/treatment | 1 products |
| baby powder | 1 products |
Enhanced skin absorption
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Nano-scale ingredients with potential to absorb into the skin | Nanomaterial Database |
| Nano scale (<100 nm primary particle size) ingredients may absorb into skin | FDA (US. Food and Drug Administration). 2006. FDA Considerations for Regulation of Nanomaterial Containing Products. Presentation by Nakissa Sadrieh, Ph.D., Office of Pharmaceutical Science, CDER, FDA. Available online at http://www.fda.gov/nanotechnology/. |
Biochemical or cellular level changes
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Produces excess reactive oxygen species that can interfere with cellular signaling, cause mutations, lead to cell death and may be implicated in cardiovascular disease. | Hidaka H, Kobayashi, H, Koike, T. Sato, T., Serpone, N. 2006. DNA Damage Photoinduced by Cosmetic Pigments and Sunscreen Agents under Solar Exposure and Artifical UV Illumination. J Oleo Sci 55(5): 249-61. |
Decreased skin absorption
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Zinc oxide (micronized or ACS grade) is not absorbed by intact or injured skin | {Gasparro, 1998; Derry, 1983; Labor, 1999; Pirot, 1996; Morgan, 1983; Landsdown, 1997} |
Occupational hazards
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Allowed workplace exposures restricted to moderate doses | National Library of Medicine HazMap |
| Inhalation causes acute but reversible health effects--fever, intense shaking, chills, fever, and body pain. | Gordon T, Fine JM 1993. Metal fume fever. Occup Med. Jul-Sep;8(3):504-17. Review. |
Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Possible human respiratory toxicant | Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics |
| 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 |
| Zinc oxide nanoparticles are cytotoxic when applied directly to cultured human aortic endothelial cells and cause considerable cell death. | Gojova A, Guo B, Kota RS, Rutledge JC, Kennedy IM, Barakat AI 2007. Induction of inflammation in vascular endothelial cells by metal oxide nanoparticles: effect of particle composition. Environ Health Perspect 115(3): 403-409. |
Cancer
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Micronized zinc oxide (188nm effective particle size) found to damage DNA and mitochondria in human (MSTO-211H) and rat (3T3) cells | {Brunner, 2006} |
| UV irradiation provoked a sensitivity to the cellular test system and a slight increase in the genotoxic potency of zinc oxide | Dufour E, et al 2006. Clastogenicity, photo-clastogenicity or pseudo-photo-clastogenicity: Genotoxic effects of zinc oxide in the dark, in pre-irradiated or simultaneously irradiated Chinese hamster ovary cells. Mutation Research 607(2 ): 215-24. |
Persistence and bioaccumulation
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Zinc found to be bioaccumulative in Arctic seabirds | Borgå K, Campbell L, Gabrielsen GW, Norstrom RJ, Muir DC, Fisk AT, 2006 |
Ecotoxicology
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Wildlife and environmental toxicity | CPS&Q - Classification & Labelling |
| Zinc oxide demonstrated increased antibacterial activity increasing with particle concentration | Adams, L K., D. Y. Lyon, et al. (2006). "Comparative eco-toxicity of nanoscale TiO2, SiO2, and ZnO water suspensions." Water Research Article in Press. |
Data gaps
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| 14377 studies in PubMed science library may include information on the toxicity of this chemical | NLM PubMed |
Developmental/reproductive toxicity
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Not likely to be a reproductive toxicant | European Chemicals Bureau 2004. ZINC OXIDE Part II – Human Health, CAS No: 1314-13-2, EINECS No: 215-222-5; Summary Risk Assessment Report Addendum to the Part II (Human Health) I-21020 Ispra (VA) Italy. |
Multiple, additive exposure sources
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Designated as safe for general or specific, limited use in food | FDA Food Additive Status |
| Designated as safe for general or specific, limited use in food | FDA Everything Added to Food |
Informational
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Industry or government recommendations for safe use: restrictions on concentration, impurities, product types, or manufacturing methods - Color additive approved by FDA for use in cosmetics | FDA Color Additive Status |
| Industry or government recommendations for safe use: restrictions on concentration, impurities, product types, or manufacturing methods - Color Additives - Exempt from Batch Certification by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration | CTFA International Cosmetic Ingredient Dictionary and Handbook |
Data Sources
- NanoWerk. 2007. Nanomaterial Database. Available online: http://www.nanowerk.com/phpscripts/n_dbsearch.php
- FDA (US. Food and Drug Administration). 2006. FDA Considerations for Regulation of Nanomaterial Containing Products. Presentation by Nakissa Sadrieh, Ph.D., Office of Pharmaceutical Science, CDER, FDA. Available online at http://www.fda.gov/nanotechnology/.
- Hidaka H, Kobayashi, H, Koike, T. Sato, T., Serpone, N. 2006. DNA Damage Photoinduced by Cosmetic Pigments and Sunscreen Agents under Solar Exposure and Artifical UV Illumination. J Oleo Sci 55(5): 249-61.
- {Gasparro, 1998; Derry, 1983; Labor, 1999; Pirot, 1996; Morgan, 1983; Landsdown, 1997}
- NLM (National Library of Medicine). 2006. HazMap — Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Agents.
- Gordon T, Fine JM 1993. Metal fume fever. Occup Med. Jul-Sep;8(3):504-17. Review.
- AOEC (Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics). 2009. AEOC exposures codes and asthmagen designation.
- EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). 1999. Toxics Release Inventory Program. PBT Chemical Rule.
- Gojova A, Guo B, Kota RS, Rutledge JC, Kennedy IM, Barakat AI 2007. Induction of inflammation in vascular endothelial cells by metal oxide nanoparticles: effect of particle composition. Environ Health Perspect 115(3): 403-409.
- {Brunner, 2006}
- Dufour E, et al 2006. Clastogenicity, photo-clastogenicity or pseudo-photo-clastogenicity: Genotoxic effects of zinc oxide in the dark, in pre-irradiated or simultaneously irradiated Chinese hamster ovary cells. Mutation Research 607(2 ): 215-24.
- Borgå K, Campbell L, Gabrielsen GW, Norstrom RJ, Muir DC, Fisk AT, 2006
- 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.
- Adams, L K., D. Y. Lyon, et al. (2006). "Comparative eco-toxicity of nanoscale TiO2, SiO2, and ZnO water suspensions." Water Research Article in Press.
- NLM (National Library of Medicine). 2012. PubMed online scientific bibliography data. http://www.pubmed.gov.
- European Chemicals Bureau 2004. ZINC OXIDE Part II – Human Health, CAS No: 1314-13-2, EINECS No: 215-222-5; Summary Risk Assessment Report Addendum to the Part II (Human Health) I-21020 Ispra (VA) Italy.
- 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.
- FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) 2006. Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. Color Additive Status List. September 2006.
- CTFA (Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association). 2006. International Cosmetic Ingredient Dictionary and Handbook, 11th Edition. Color Additive Information. Washington, DC.
- This ingredient’s score is higher if used in products that are inhalable (e.g., sprays, powders) because of respiratory concerns.
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