What Are the Dangers of Sodium Lauryl Sulfate?
- Sodium lauryl sulfate, in its pure form, is a white powder. Typically, in industry, the substance is identified by its chemical name--sulfuric acid, monododecyl ester, sodium salt--and its Chemical Abstracts Number (CAS), 151-21-3.
- Many of the hazards associated with sodium lauryl sulfate are indicated for exposure to high doses of the concentrated substance. These hazards include effects on the respiratory tract, skin, eyes and oral toxicity.
According to the Pesticide Action Network's (PAN) Pesticide Database, inhalation of sodium lauryl sulfate powder is known to produce coughing, headache, difficulty breathing, irritation to the respiratory tract and nasal congestion. PAN also reports that effects on the skin include redness and discomfort, and that exposure to the eyes in its powder form may lead to damage of the cornea in addition to redness and pain. Ingestion of the substance is known to product nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. - The controversy over sodium lauryl sulfate arose from studies linking the substance to toxic effects. A study published by the NTP, according to PAN, shows that the substance exhibits an acute oral toxicity with an LD50 of 1,288mg/kg in rats, meaning that 50 percent of the rats died following ingestion of 1,288mg/kg.
While this data does not suggest that sodium lauryl sulfate presents a danger to consumers from products that contain minute amounts of the substance, it does indicate that large doses may be toxic to humans. - As an emulsifier, sodium lauryl sulfate provides a function in cosmetic products that enables a product to foam on contact with water, thus playing an essential role in how soaps work. The substance also has an important role in keeping products free from microbes by maintaining an inhospitable environment for microbial growth.
- While there is a large gap of information available on the toxicity of the substance in cosmetic products, there is no evidence to suggest that the use of sodium lauryl sulfate in consumer products is unsafe. Many of the known harmful effects of the substance are indicated for acute exposures to its pure, powder form.
Without sodium lauryl sulfate, many products, such as shampoos and bath soap, would not be able to foam. Additionally, without this substance, concerns would arise over the safety of the products in terms of the amounts of bacteria and other microbes able to grow in the product.
