Is stearic acid polyoxyethylene ether SG-10 harmful to the human body? Does it have an impact on the environment?

Stearic acid polyoxyethylene ether SG-10 is a low-toxicity, non-irritating nonionic surfactant. Under normal use conditions, it is safe and harmless to the human body, and is readily biodegradable, making it environmentally friendly.

Detailed Description

Stearic acid polyoxyethylene ether SG-10 (CAS No.: 9004-99-3) is a classic fatty acid polyoxyethylene ester nonionic surfactant. Its molecular structure consists of hydrophilic polyoxyethylene chains and lipophilic stearate groups. This structure endows the product with excellent surface activity and also determines its mild safety profile. The product is widely used in cosmetics, personal care products, textile printing and dyeing auxiliaries, and other fields that come into direct or indirect contact with the human body, fully demonstrating its safety and reliability.

From the perspective of human health effects, the product has extremely low acute oral toxicity (rat LD50 > 5,000 mg/kg), classifying it as low-toxicity, and poses no health risk at actual usage levels. Skin irritation tests show that a 5% dilution is non-irritating to rabbit skin (Primary Irritation Index PII 0–0.5), making it suitable for formulations that come into direct contact with skin. Regarding eyes, the pure product only causes slight reversible irritation and is not classified as a serious eye damage substance. Skin sensitization tests (guinea pig Buehler test) were negative, with no sensitization observed. In terms of genotoxicity, the Ames test and in vitro mammalian cell chromosome aberration test were both negative, indicating no genotoxicity.

In terms of environmental impact, the product has a fish acute toxicity of 96-hour LC50 > 100 mg/L, indicating low toxicity to aquatic organisms. More importantly, under OECD 301B test conditions, its 28-day biodegradation rate exceeds 60%, making it a readily biodegradable substance that can be effectively degraded in conventional wastewater treatment systems without accumulating in the environment. The product complies with environmental regulatory requirements, but care should still be taken to avoid large-scale discharge into water bodies, soil, or sewers to prevent local short-term accumulation.

Summary of Toxicological and Ecological Data

Application Recommendations

Based on the above safety data, this product has high safety for use in various application fields:

• Cosmetics and Personal Care Products: Can be safely used in creams, lotions, facial cleansers, and other formulations that come into direct contact with the skin. It is recommended to add the concentration as needed in the final formulation; a 5% dilution has been confirmed to be non-irritating to the skin.
• Textile Printing and Dyeing Auxiliaries: Used as softeners and leveling agents; the treated fabrics are safe for wear.
• Industrial and Household Detergents: Its use in daily chemicals meets safety requirements and can be confidently applied in laundry detergents, dishwashing liquids, and other products.
• Pesticide Emulsifiers: Its low toxicity makes it relatively safe for use in pesticide formulations, but relevant safety specifications for pesticide formulations must still be followed.

Precautions

• Eye Protection: The pure product causes slight reversible eye irritation. Wear chemical safety goggles during operation to avoid direct contact with eyes.
• Operational Protection: It is recommended that operators wear protective clothing and impermeable gloves, and maintain good ventilation in the workplace.
• Storage Requirements: Storage temperature should not exceed 40°C. Keep containers tightly sealed, away from heat and ignition sources, and avoid moisture absorption and caking.
• Environmental Protection: Although the product is readily biodegradable, avoid large spills into drainage systems, surface water, and groundwater. Waste should be disposed of in accordance with national and local regulations, preferably by incineration or sanitary landfill.
• First Aid Measures: In case of skin contact, rinse with plenty of water and soap for at least 15 minutes. In case of eye contact, flush thoroughly with running water or saline solution for at least 15 minutes. If ingested, seek medical attention immediately.