Name

Bismuth Oxychloride

We recommend avoiding

Description

Bismuth Oxychloride is derived from bismuth, a naturally occurring heavy metal. The compound is formed by combining bismuth with oxygen and chlorine. Bismuth is mainly a byproduct of lead ore processing.

Benefits

Imparts shimmer to cosmetics and gives a silky skinfeel. Although bismuth is a heavy metal, it has considerably less toxicity than other heavy metals.

Considerations

• Skin/Eye Irritation May cause skin and eye irritation at higher concentrations. • Respiratory Toxin May irritate airways in aerosolized or powder-based products. • Lead Contamination Because bismuth is derived largely from lead extraction, bismuth oxychloride may contain higher trace levels of lead than other ingredients. The FDA allows up to 20 ppm in bismuth oxychloride. Elevated levels of chromium may also be present.

Synonyms

Bismuthine, chlorooxo- Bismuth(III) chloride oxide BISMUTHOXYCHLORIDE Mearlite Pearl white Wismutchloridoxid Bismut-chlorid-oxid BIJU Wismut(III)-chlorid-oxid Chlorooxobismuthine Bismuth subchloride Bismutum-oxychloratum chloro(oxo)bismuthane chloro(oxo)bismuthine BISMUTH OXYCHLORIDE POWDER BiOCl oxobismuth;hydrochloride Bismuth(III) oxychloride, 98%

Research Sources

https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Bismuth-oxychloride https://www.usgs.gov/centers/national-minerals-information-center/bismuth-statistics-and-information#:~:text=Bismuth%20is%20mainly%20a%20byproduct,medications%20and%20in%20atomic%20research.

Summary

Skin irritation, lead contamination