Name Benzyl Alcohol Description Benzyl alcohol is a preservative in cosmetics and active ingredient in some drugs. Benzyl alcohol is made on a commercial scale by reacting potassium or sodium carbonate with benzyl chloride. It also occurs naturally in some plants and foods. Benefits Keeps water-based products preserved. Used in certain medical treatments for lice and as a topical pain reliever. Considerations • Photodegradation
In the presence of light, benzyl alcohol may break down to benzaldehyde and benzoic acid in solution. Benzaldehyde can be a skin irritant at higher concentrations.
• Skin Penetration
Studies have found that benzyl alcohol can be absorbed through the skin.
• Genotoxic Some animal studies have found that benzyl alcohol can damage DNA. The activity appears to be low, but present. • Possible Carcinogen There is some evidence that benzyl alcohol may display carcinogenic activity. However the body of evidence is not strong and the implications of the animal studies are unclear regarding human use. • Allergen
Can be a contact allergen. • Inhibits Cellular Activity
Benzyl alcohol has been found to affect the organelle in cells that are responsible for cellular protein communication. • Unsafe for Newborns
Benzyl alcohol poisoning has resulted in the deaths of newborns. Synonyms benzyl alcohol
phenylmethanol
benzenemethanol
100-51-6
phenylcarbinol
benzylalcohol
Benzoyl alcohol
Benzenecarbinol
alpha-Toluenol
Phenylmethyl alcohol
Hydroxytoluene
(Hydroxymethyl)benzene
Phenolcarbinol
Benzal alcohol
Methanol, phenyl-
alpha-hydroxytoluene
benzylic alcohol
Alcool benzylique
Benzylicum
Phenylcarbinolum
Euxyl K 100
hydroxymethylbenzene
Bentalol
Ulesfia
66072-40-0
Phenyl Methanol
Phenyl-Methanol
BENZYL-ALCOHOL
Caswell No. 081F
alcoholum benzylicum
Benzyl alcohol (natural)
FEMA No. 2137
Benzylalkohol
NCI-C06111
Alcool benzilico
Aromatic alcohol
Alcohol, Benzyl
Alcohol bencilico
.alpha.-Toluenol
Alcool benzilico [DCIT]
Itch-X
NSC 8044
HSDB 46
benzenmethanol Research Sources https://www.cir-safety.org/sites/default/files/120_final_ba.pdf https://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ZyNET.exe/900G0J00.txt?ZyActionD=ZyDocument&Client=EPA&Index=1986%20Thru%201990&Docs=&Query=&Time=&EndTime=&SearchMethod=1&TocRestrict=n&Toc=&TocEntry=&QField=&QFieldYear=&QFieldMonth=&QFieldDay=&UseQField=&IntQFieldOp=0&ExtQFieldOp=0&XmlQuery=&File=D%3A%5CZYFILES%5CINDEX%20DATA%5C86THRU90%5CTXT%5C00000016%5C900G0J00.txt&User=ANONYMOUS&Password=anonymous&SortMethod=h%7C-&MaximumDocuments=1&FuzzyDegree=0&ImageQuality=r75g8/r75g8/x150y150g16/i425&Display=hpfr&DefSeekPage=x&SearchBack=ZyActionL&Back=ZyActionS&BackDesc=Results%20page&MaximumPages=1&ZyEntry=2 https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/244 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8593115/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6123006/ Summary Skin irritation, genotoxicity, allergen
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