ALUMINA
Abrasive; Anticaking Agent; Bulking Agent; Opacifying Agent; ABSORBENT; VISCOSITY CONTROLLING
Also listed as
ALUMINA, ACTIVATED; ALUMINA, CALCINED; ALUMINA, TABULAR; ALUMINUM OXIDE; ALUMINUM SESQUIOXIDE; ALUMINUM TRIOXIDE; ACTIVATED ALUMINA; CALCINED ALUMINA; TABULAR ALUMINA; ALUMINIUM OXIDE; ALUMINUM OXIDE (AL2O3)
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, Persistence and bioaccumulation, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Occupational hazards |
| Lesser or emerging concerns for this ingredient: Ecotoxicology, Data gaps |
|
See products containing ALUMINA | |
About ALUMINA: Alumina is an inorganic compound.
ALUMINA has reported used in the following product types: foundation (279); sunscreen: makeup (247); nail polish (148); facial moisturizer/treatment (64); lipstick (62); sunscreen: moisturizer (51); anti-aging (47); sunscreen: SPF 15-30 (41); blush (31); concealer (20)
Neurotoxicity
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Strong evidence of human neurotoxicity | Chemicals known to be neurotoxic to humans |
Developmental/reproductive toxicity
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Human nervous system toxicant - moderate evidence | Chemicals known to be neurotoxic to humans |
Persistence and bioaccumulation
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Persistent or bioaccumulative and moderate to high toxicity concern in humans | Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List | |
| show more | ||
Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Classified as medium human health priority | Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List | |
| Classified as expected to be toxic or harmful | Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List | |
| show more | ||
Occupational hazards
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Allowed workplace exposures restricted to moderate doses | RTECS®- TLV/BEI,2007 | |
| Allowed workplace exposures restricted to moderate doses | RTECS®- TLV/BEI,2006 |
Cancer
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| One or more animal studies show tumor formation at moderate doses | RTECS®- British Journal of Cancer 1973 | |
| show more | ||
Ecotoxicology
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| 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 | ||
| 1,845 studies in PubMed science library may include information on the toxicity of this chemical see search results -> | PubMed |
Enhanced skin absorption
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Suspected nano-scale ingredients with potential to absorb into the skin | Nanomaterial Database |
Government, industry, academic studies and classifications
| government/industry list/academic study | appears on list as | classification(s) |
| FDA Color Additive Status | ALUMINA | Cosmetics: U; Food: U; Drugs: Y; Eye: U |
| Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List | ALUMINUM OXIDE (AL2O3) | •This chemical was deemed a moderate human health priority and was flagged by CEPA for further attention. The chemical was flagged for suspected persistence and aquatic toxicity. |
| National Library of Medicine HazMap | ALPHA-ALUMINA | •PEL (OSHA) - Permissible exposure limit (OSHA): 15 mg/m3(total dust), 5 mg/m3(respirable fraction); •TLV (ACGIH) - Threshold limit value (ACGIH): 10 mg/m3; •MAK - Maximum Allowable Concentration (Federal Republic of Germany): 1.5 mg/m3, respirable fraction (fume); |
| Nanomaterial Database | ALUMINUM OXIDE | •potential nano-scale ingredient |
| Chemicals known to be neurotoxic to humans | ALUMINUM COMPOUNDS | •Known to be neurotoxic to humans, suspected developmental neurotoxin |
| EPA Toxic Release Inventory PBTs | ALUMINUM OXIDE | •Toxic, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Toxics Release Inventory programs |
| Klaassen, C | ALUMINUM COMPOUNDS | •Respiratory toxicity hazards: suspected |
| RTECS®- TLV/BEI,2006 | ALUMINA | • occupationally related - ACGIH TLV (human TWA) |
| RTECS®- TLV/BEI,2007 | ALUMINA | • occupationally related - ACGIH TLV (human TWA) |
| RTECS®- British Journal of Cancer 1973 | ALUMINA | • cancer - respiratory tumor formations - equivocal (rat TDLo) |
| RTECS®- IARC Scientific Publications 1973 | ALUMINA | • cancer - Tumors at site of application (rat TD) |
| RTECS®- JNCI, Journal of the National Cancer Institute 1981 | ALUMINA | • cancer - Tumors at site of application (rat TDLo) |
references
| government/industry list/academic study | reference |
| FDA Color Additive Status | FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) 2006. Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. Color Additive Status List. September 2006. |
| Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List | EC (Environment Canada). 2008. Domestic Substances List Categorization. Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) Environmental Registry. |
| National Library of Medicine HazMap | NLM (National Library of Medicine). 2006. HazMap — Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Agents. |
| Nanomaterial Database | NanoWerk. 2007. Nanomaterial Database. Available online: http://www.nanowerk.com/phpscripts/n_dbsearch.php |
| Chemicals known to be neurotoxic to humans | Grandjean P and PJ Landrigan. 2006. Developmental neurotoxicity of industrial chemicals. Lancet. 2006 Dec 16;368(9553):2167-78. |
| EPA Toxic Release Inventory PBTs | EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). 1999. Toxics Release Inventory Program. PBT Chemical Rule. |
| Scorecard.org Toxicity Information | Klaassen, C., M. Amdur and J. Doull (eds.). Casarett and Doull |
| RTECS®- TLV/BEI,2006 | RTECS®- TLV/BEI,2006 |
| RTECS®- TLV/BEI,2007 | RTECS®- TLV/BEI,2007 |
| RTECS®- British Journal of Cancer 1973 | RTECS®- British Journal of Cancer. (Macmillan Press Ltd., Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hants. RG21 2XS, UK) V.1- 1947- 28,173,1973 |
| RTECS®- IARC Scientific Publications 1973 | RTECS®- IARC Scientific Publications. (Geneva, Switzerland) No.1-26, 1971-78. For publisher information, see IAPUDO. 8,289,1973 |
| RTECS®- JNCI, Journal of the National Cancer Institute 1981 | RTECS®- JNCI, Journal of the National Cancer Institute. (Washington, DC) V.61-79, 1978-87. For publisher information, see JNCIEQ. 67,965,1981 |
"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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