Name

Benzoic Acid

Has some considerations

Description

Benzoic acid is a weak acid that's used as a preservative. It's naturally occurring in many fruits in trace amounts. The largest natural source of benzoic acid is from the gum of the Chinese Balsam tree, called gum benzoin. Gum benzoin is typically 13-20% benzoic acid.

Benefits

• Benzoic acid is typically used as a preservative in cosmetics. • One study found that benzoic acid administered to mice helped increase fertility by promoting implantation. It is unknown if this effect is relevant to human use and exposure. • Benzoic acid has been found to NOT be a reproductive toxin. • Benzoic acid has been found to NOT be mutagenic. • While the data is limited, available studies do NOT suggest that benzoic acid is carcinogenic.

Considerations

• Skin Irritation Potential skin irritant at high concentrations. • Eye Irritation Potential eye irritant at high concentrations. • Respiratory Irritant Potential respiratory irritant. • Acute Toxicity May damage organs with repeated or prolonged exposure at high concentrations. • Skin Penetration Research suggests that benzoic acid is able to penetrate skin.

Synonyms

65-85-0 Dracylic acid benzenecarboxylic acid Carboxybenzene Benzeneformic acid phenylformic acid Benzenemethanoic acid Phenylcarboxylic acid benzoate Retardex Benzoesaeure GK Benzoesaeure GV Retarder BA Tenn-Plas Acide benzoique Salvo liquid Solvo powder Benzoesaeure Benzoic acid, tech. Unisept BZA HA 1 (acid) Kyselina benzoova Benzoic acid (natural) HA 1 Benzoate (VAN)

Research Sources

https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Benzoic-Acid https://www.jmb.or.kr/journal/view.html?doi=10.4014/jmb.1609.09028 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15135208/ https://www.cir-safety.org/sites/default/files/120_final_ba.pdf https://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_risk/committees/04_sccp/docs/sccp_o_015.pdf

Summary

Skin, eye, and lung irritation, skin penetration.