IRON
Anticaking Agent; HAIR CONDITIONING
Also listed as
HEMATIN, FERRUHEME HYDROXIDE; HYDROXYHEMIN; IRON,; Y-; FE; IRON, DISSOLVED; IRON, TOTAL; 3ZHP; ANCOR EN 80/150; ARMCO IRON; BOVINE HEMIN
Given the incomplete information made available by companies and the government, EWG provides additional information on personal care product ingredients from the published scientific literature. The chart below indicates that research studies have found that exposure to this ingredient -- not the products containing it -- caused the indicated health effect(s) in the studies reviewed by Skin Deep researchers. Actual health risks, if any, will vary based on the level of exposure to the ingredient and individual susceptibility -- information not available in Skin Deep.
| This ingredient: | |
 | Cancer |
 | Developmental/reproductive toxicity |
 | Violations, restrictions & warnings |
| Allergies/immunotoxicity |
| Contamination concerns |
 | Other strong concerns for this ingredient: Enhanced skin absorption |
| Other moderate concerns for this ingredient: Neurotoxicity, Endocrine disruption, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive) |
| Lesser or emerging concerns for this ingredient: Data gaps, Biochemical or cellular level changes |
|
See products containing IRON | |
About IRON: Hematin is the organic compound.
IRON has reported used in the following product types: foundation (7); anti-aging (3); facial powder (3); muscle/joint soreness (3); facial moisturizer/treatment (3); pain relief (2); bath oil/salts/soak (2); body spray (2); around-eye cream (2); mask (1)
Cancer
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Cancer - limited evidence | CHE Toxicant and Disease Database | |
| show more | ||
Endocrine disruption
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Limited evidence of endocrine disruption | CHE Toxicant and Disease Database |
Neurotoxicity
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Limited evidence of nervous system toxicity | CHE Toxicant and Disease Database | |
| show more | ||
Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Possible human respiratory toxicant | CHE Toxicant and Disease Database | |
| One or more animal studies show broad systemic effects at very low doses | RTECS®- National Technical Information Service | |
| show more | ||
Biochemical or cellular level changes
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| One or more animal studies show biochemical changes at high doses where the human health implications are not yet well understood | RTECS®- Toxicology 1997 |
Occupational hazards
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Single case study detailing occupational hazards | Frazier , L, 1998 |
Enhanced skin absorption
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Suspected nano-scale ingredients with potential to absorb into the skin | Nanomaterial Database |
Multiple, additive exposure sources
| type of concern | product conditions | 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 |
Persistence and bioaccumulation
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Not suspected to be bioaccumulative | Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List |
Ecotoxicology
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Not suspected to be an environmental toxin | Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List |
Data gaps
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Not assessed for safety in cosmetics by industry panel | ||
| 41,097 studies on toxicity in PubMed see search results -> | PubMed |
Government, industry, academic studies and classifications
| government/industry list/academic study | appears on list as | classification(s) |
| FDA Food Additive Status | IRON | • Food additive: nutrient • Dietary supplement • GRAS (generally recognized as safe) - use in food presumed safe based either on a history of use before 1958 or on published scientific evidence; need not be approved by the FDA prior to use in food; most have not limit for use but must conform to good manufacturing practices; some GRAS substances have quantitative limit for use in foods; by definition under Sec 201(s) of FD&C Act, not food additives • As nutritional dietary supplement in animal feed - CFR582.80 • X-Ref Ferric and Ferrous listings |
| FDA Food Additive Status | IRON | • Food additive: nutrient • Food additive: permitted as optional ingredient in a standardized food • refers to part number under Title 21 Code of Federal Regulations 137 • Flour • refers to part number under Title 21 Code of Federal Regulations 139 • Macaroni and Noodles • refers to part number under Title 21 Code of Federal Regulations 136 • Bakery Pdts |
| Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics | IRON | • o |
| CHE Toxicant and Disease Database | IRON | •Limited evidence in humans: nervous system toxicity; Condition: Alzheimer's; Organs/tissues affected: brain |
| CHE Toxicant and Disease Database | IRON | •Limited evidence in humans: nervous system toxicity; Condition: brain cancer (adult); Organs/tissues affected: brain |
| CHE Toxicant and Disease Database | IRON | •Limited evidence in humans: endocrine system toxicity; Condition: diabetes - type II; Organs/tissues affected: |
| CHE Toxicant and Disease Database | IRON | •Limited evidence in humans: nervous system toxicity; Condition: Parkinson's disease/movement disorders; Organs/tissues affected: brain |
| CHE Toxicant and Disease Database | IRON | •Moderate evidence in humans: respiratory system toxicity; Condition: pneumoconiosis; Organs/tissues affected: lungs |
| CHE Toxicant and Disease Database | IRON | •Limited evidence in humans: musculoskeletal system toxicity; Condition: soft tissue sarcoma (cancer); Organs/tissues affected: soft tissues |
| FDA Everything Added to Food | IRON, ELEMENTAL | • Fully up-to-date toxicology information has been sought. |
| Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List | IRON | •This chemical was deemed a low human health priority and was NOT flagged by CEPA for further attention. The chemical was flagged for suspected persistence. |
| Nanomaterial Database | IRON | •potential nano-scale ingredient |
| Frazier , L, 1998 | IRON | •Reproductive toxicity hazards: suspected |
| Klaassen, C, 1996 | IRON | •Gastrointestinal or liver toxicity hazards: suspected |
| Nemery, B, 1990 | IRON | •Respiratory toxicity hazards: suspected |
| RTECS®- "Vrednie chemichescie veshestva 1989 | IRON | • liver - Hepatitis (hepatocellular necrosis), diffuse ( human LD50) • metabolic - Metabolic acidosis ( human LD50) • cardiovascular - Shock ( human LD50) |
| RTECS®- Indian Journal of Pharmacy 1951 | IRON | • metabolic - Weight loss or decreased weight gain (guinea pig LD50) |
| RTECS®- Journal of Toxicology, Clinical Toxicology 1987 | IRON | • brain and nervous system - Irritability (child TDLo) • gastrointestinal - Nausea or vomiting (child TDLo) • blood - Normocytic anemia (child TDLo) |
| RTECS®- National Technical Information Service | IRON | • broad systemic - Broad systemic toxicity (rabbit LDLo) |
| RTECS®- Sangyo Igaku 1974 | IRON | • cancer - respiratory tumor formations - equivocal (rat TDLo) |
| RTECS®- Toxicology 1997 | IRON | • biochemical - Catalases (rat TDLo) • blood - Other changes (rat TDLo) |
references
| government/industry list/academic study | reference |
| FDA Food Additive Status | 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. |
| Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics | AOEC (Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics). 2009. AEOC exposures codes and asthmagen designation. |
| CHE Toxicant and Disease Database | CHE (The Collaborative on Health and the Environment). 2006. Toxicant and Disease Database. |
| FDA Everything Added to Food | 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. |
| Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List | EC (Environment Canada). 2008. Domestic Substances List Categorization. Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) Environmental Registry. |
| Nanomaterial Database | NanoWerk. 2007. Nanomaterial Database. Available online: http://www.nanowerk.com/phpscripts/n_dbsearch.php |
| Scorecard.org Toxicity Information | 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. |
| Scorecard.org Toxicity Information | Klaassen, C., M. Amdur and J. Doull (eds.). Casarett and Doull's Toxicology. The Basic Science of Poisons, 5th Ed. Pergamon Press, NY. 1996., Malachowsky, M.J. Health Effects of Toxic Substances. Government Institutes. Rockville, MD 1995., National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health's Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances. See Environmental Defense's Suspect Hazard Identification documentation., Zimmerman, H.J. and J.H. Lewis. Chemical- and Toxin-Induced Hepatotoxicity. Gastroenterology Clinics of North America. 24(4): 1027-1045. 1995. (Table 3: Forms of environmental hepatic injury). |
| Scorecard.org Toxicity Information | Nemery, B. Metal Toxicity and the Respiratory Tract. European Respiratory Journal. 3(2): 202-219. 1990.(Table 1: Summary of pulmonary toxicity of metals). |
| RTECS®- "Vrednie chemichescie veshestva 1989 | RTECS®- "Vrednie chemichescie veshestva. Neorganicheskie soedinenia elementov V-VII groopp" (Hazardous substances. Inornanic substances containing V-VII group elements), Bandman A.L. et al., Chimia, 1989. -,432,1989 |
| RTECS®- Indian Journal of Pharmacy 1951 | RTECS®- Indian Journal of Pharmacy. (Bombay, India) V.1-40(1), 1939-78. For publisher information, see IJSIDW. 13,240,1951 |
| RTECS®- Journal of Toxicology, Clinical Toxicology 1987 | RTECS®- Journal of Toxicology, Clinical Toxicology. (Marcel Dekker, 270 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10016) V.19- 1982- 25,251,1987 |
| RTECS®- National Technical Information Service | RTECS®- National Technical Information Service. (Springfield, VA 22161) Formerly U.S. Clearinghouse for Scientific & Technical Information. PB158-508 |
| RTECS®- Sangyo Igaku 1974 | RTECS®- Sangyo Igaku. Japanese Journal of Industrial Health. (Nippon Sangyo Eisei Igakkai, Kosu Eisei Bldg., 1-29-8, Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160, Japan) V.1- 1959- 16,380,1974 |
| RTECS®- Toxicology 1997 | RTECS®- Toxicology. (Elsevier Scientific Pub. Ireland, Ltd., POB 85, Limerick, Ireland) V.1- 1973- 124,73,1997 |
"RTECS®" is a United States trademark owned and licensed under authority of the U.S. Government, by and through MDL Information Systems, Inc.
Copyright © 2010 by Environmental Working Group
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