BABASSUAMIDOPROPALKONIUM CHLORIDE

Today's Chemical:

BABASSUAMIDOPROPALKONIUM CHLORIDE

EWG Risk Score:

0

What is it?

Babassuamidopropalkonium Chloride is a quaternary ammonium salt.  It is created by a complex reaction starting with shea butter fatty acids and adding amines, alkines, methyl iodide and then following up by treating it  with silver oxide, water, and heat.  I'm simplifying of course...but suffice it to say they start out with shea butter, add a bunch of chemicals, heat and reactions until it's a synthetic chemical of its own.  It's used in many ways, as a surfactant, conditioning agent and fabric softener. 

Why is it a risk?

This is another example of the Costmetics Database not picking up on a risky chemical.  Chemical companies come out with these chemicals so quickly, it takes time for the database to flag them.  But because this chemical is a quaternary ammonium salt, it not only is created by a non-environmentally friendly process, it is a pretty serious risk.  I found a web page that outlines the risks involved with any quaternary ammonium salt (or "quats" as they call them in the cosmetics industry)...You can read the full link here, or enjoy these lovely excerpts: 

Quaternary ammonium compounds can cause toxic effects by
all routes of exposure including inhalation, ingestion,
dermal application and irrigation of body cavities. Exposure
to diluted solutions can cause mild and self-limited
irritation. Concentrated solutions of quaternary ammonium
compounds are corrosive and can cause burns to the skin and
the mucous membranes. They can produce systemic toxicity due
to their curare-like properties. They can also cause allergic
reactions.

Mild to severe caustic burns of the skin and mucous
membranes can occur depending on the agent and the
concentration. Other signs may include: nausea, vomiting,
abdominal pain, anxiety, restlessness, coma, convulsions,
hypotension, cyanosis and apnoea due to respiratory muscle
paralysis; death may occur within 1 or 3 hours after
ingestion of concentrated solutions. Haemolysis and
methaemoglobinemia have been reported infrequently.

What type of products is it in?

Body Wash

Shampoo

Conditioner

Hand Cream

Bubble Bath

Body Lotions

Companies that use this chemical:

Avalon Organics

Nature's Gate

Steph's Opinion

Years ago when I was starting to research making products, a chemical salesman tried to sell me a similar chemical: sunfloweramidopropalkonium chloride.  He said that I would get the conditioning effects that I wanted with a natural-sounding chemical on the label.   So, I ordered a sample to check it out.  When I got it, I started reading the MSDS sheet that came with it.  After I saw all the warnings, there was no way that I was going to expose myself and my customers to the chemical.  The only companies that are using this particular "quat" are Nature's Gate and Avalon.  However, anything that reads "alkonium chloride" is in the same family of chemicals.

Sources:

http://www.inchem.org/documents/pims/chemical/pimg022.htm#SectionTitle:2.1%20%20Main%20risk%20and%20target%20organs

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hofmann_Elimination