POTASSIUM ALUM
Cosmetic Astringent; Drug Astringent - Oral Health Care Drugs; Oral Health Care Drug
Also listed as
ALUMINUM POTASSIUM SULFATE; ALUM, POTASSIUM; EXSICCATED ALUM; POTASSIUM ALUMINUM SULFATE; SULFURIC ACID, ALUMINUM POTASSIUM SALT (2:1:1) , DODECAHYDRATE; DODECAHYDRATE SULFURIC ACID, ALUMINUM POTASSIUM SALT (2:1:1) ; ALUMINUM POTASSIUM SALT (2:1:1) DODECAHYDRATE SULFURIC ACID; ALUM POTASSIUM; ALUMINUM POTASSIUM ALUM; ALUMINUM POTASSIUM DISULFATE; ALUMINUM POTASSIUM SULFATE
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 moderate concerns for this ingredient: Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive) |
| Lesser or emerging concerns for this ingredient: Ecotoxicology, Data gaps |
|
See products containing POTASSIUM ALUM | |
About POTASSIUM ALUM: See "Regulatory and Ingredient Use Information," regarding the labeling names for U.S. OTC Drug Ingredients in Volume 1, Introduction, Part A.
POTASSIUM ALUM has reported used in the following product types: antiperspirant/deodorant (18); toners/astringents (8); foot odor control (6); antiperspirant/deodorant (men's) (5); facial moisturizer/treatment (5); skin fading/lightener (2); body spray (1); after shave (1); facial cleanser (1); anti-aging (1)
Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Classified as expected to be toxic or harmful | Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List |
Cancer
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| One or more in vitro tests on mammalian cells show positive mutation results | RTECS®- Cytobios 1991 | |
| show more | ||
Developmental/reproductive toxicity
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| One or more animal studies show reproductive effects at high doses | RTECS®- Oyo Yakuri 1982 |
Ecotoxicology
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Suspected to be an environmental toxin and be persistent or bioaccumulative | Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List | |
| show more | ||
Data gaps
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Not assessed for safety in cosmetics by industry panel | ||
| 17 studies on toxicity in PubMed see search results -> | PubMed |
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 |
Government, industry, academic studies and classifications
| government/industry list/academic study | appears on list as | classification(s) |
| FDA Food Additive Status | ALUMINUM POTASSIUM SULFATE | • Food additive: buffer and neutralizing agent • 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 |
| FDA Food Additive Status | POTASSIUM ALUM | • miscellaneous • Food additive: permitted as optional ingredient in a standardized food • refers to part number under Title 21 Code of Federal Regulations 137 • Flour • Food additive: food additive for which a petition has been filed and a regulation issued • used as component of bleaching agent for dairy pdts in cheese prepn in refers to part number under Title 21 Code of Federal Regulations 133 (133.102; 133.103; 133.104; 133.106; 133.111; 133.141; 133.165; 133.181; 133.195) |
| FDA Everything Added to Food | ALUMINUM POTASSIUM SULFATE | • Fully up-to-date toxicology information has been sought. |
| Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List | ALUMINUM POTASSIUM SULFATE | •This chemical was flagged for further attention by CEPA due to suspected aquatic toxicity and persistence. |
| RTECS®- Cytobios 1991 | POTASSIUM ALUM | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: other mutation test systems (rat orl) |
| RTECS®- Mutation Research 1991 | POTASSIUM ALUM | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: Mutation in Micro-organism (other micro-organisms ) |
| RTECS®- Oyo Yakuri 1982 | POTASSIUM ALUM | • reproductive - Fetotoxicity (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. |
| 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. |
| RTECS®- Cytobios 1991 | RTECS®- Cytobios. (Faculty Press, 88 Regent St., Cambridge, UK) V.1- 66,105,1991 |
| RTECS®- Mutation Research 1991 | RTECS®- Mutation Research. (Elsevier Science Pub. B.V., POB 211, 1000 AE Amsterdam, Netherlands) V.1- 264,135,1991 |
| RTECS®- Oyo Yakuri 1982 | RTECS®- Oyo Yakuri. Pharmacometrics. (Oyo Yakuri Kenkyukai, CPO Box 180, Sendai 980-91, Japan) V.1- -1967 24,65,1982 |
"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
All rights reserved.
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