Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer

Safety Information

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has reviewed the safety of acrylates copolymer, ethylene/acrylic acid copolymer, ethylene/sodium acrylate copolymer, acrylates/va copolymer, styrene/acrylates copolymer, ethylene/methacrylate copolymer, polyacrylic acid, ammonium polyacrylate and sodium polyacrylate, and permits their use as indirect food additives for use in coatings of food packaging. The safety of copolymers and polymers that contain the acrylic acid monomer has been assessed by the

The Expert Panel for Cosmetic Ingredient Safety evaluated the scientific data and concluded that acrylates copolymer, ammonium acrylates copolymer, ammonium va/acrylates copolymer, sodium acrylates copolymer, ethylene/acrylic acid copolymer, ethylene/calcium acrylate copolymer, ethylene/magnesium acrylate copolymer, ethylene/sodium acrylate copolymer, ethylene/zinc acrylate copolymer, ethylene/acrylic acid/va copolymer, acrylates/pvp copolymer, acrylates/va copolymer, steareth-10 allyl.

Ether/acrylates copolymer, acrylates/steareth-50 acrylate copolymer, acrylates/steareth-20 methacrylate copolymer, acrylates/ammonium methacrylate copolymer, styrene/acrylates copolymer, styrene/acrylates/ammonium methacrylate copolymer, ammonium styrene/acrylates copolymer, sodium styrene/acrylates copolymer, acrylates/hydroxyesters acrylates copolymer, methacryloyl ethyl betaine/acrylates copolymer, lauryl acrylate/va copolymer, va/butyl maleate/isobornyl acrylate copolymer, ethylene/methacrylate copolymer, vinyl caprolactam/vp/dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate copolymer, sodium acrylates/acrolein copolymer, vp/dimethylaminoethylmethacrylate copolymer, amp-acrylates copolymer, polyacrylic acid, ammonium polyacrylate, potassium aluminum polyacrylate, potassium polyacrylate, and sodium polyacrylate were safe for use in cosmetics and personal care products when formulated to avoid skin irritation.

The Expert Panel considered these ingredients to be similar in that they are large copolymers and polymers, uniformly produced in chemical reactions that leave very little residual monomer.

Typical levels of residual acrylic acid were less than 20 ppm, although levels of 1000 ppm are found occasionally. Odor from residual monomers causes producers of these ingredients to keep levels as low as possible. The Expert Panel noted that these very large copolymers and polymers exhibited little toxicity. Acrylates copolymer did produce skin irritation, but no evidence of sensitization was found.

Although there appears to be a large variation in the mix of monomers used in the synthesis of these copolymers and polymers, they are similar in that the polymers, except for dermal irritation, are not significantly toxic. Residual monomer levels are kept as low as possible. Although the monomers may produce adverse effects under some circumstances, the levels found in cosmetics and personal care products are not considered to present a safety risk.

FDA Code of Federal Regulations for Acrylics and their copolymers

Acrylates copolymer and all related ingredients may be used in cosmetics and personal care products marketed in Europe according to the general provisions of the Cosmetics Regulation of the European Union.

EU Cosmetic Regulation

Resources

Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer

What Is It?

Acrylates copolymer is a general term for copolymers of two or more monomers consisting of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid or one of their simple esters. Other copolymers of acrylic acid and other monomers are similar to acrylates copolymer in their function in cosmetics and personal care products. Polymers of acrylic acid and its salts (polyacrylic acid, ammonium polyacrylate, potassium aluminum polyacrylate, potassium polyacrylate, sodium polyacrylate) also have similar properties and functions. In cosmetics and personal care products, acrylates copolymer and the related copolymers and polymers are used in a wide variety of product types.

 

Why Is It Used?

The following functions have been reported for the Acrylate copolymer and the other copolymers and polymers of acrylic acid.

 

Scientific Facts

These 34 ingredients are very large copolymers and polymers that are prepared from relatively small chemical compounds called monomers. For all these ingredients, the monomers used include acrylic acid or methacrylic acid, or one of the salts or esters of acrylic or methacrylic acid.

Ingredients in the Acrylates copolymer group are copolymers and polymers comprised of acrylic acid and other monomeric building blocks. Nonetheless, they are all uniformly large molecules and are produced in chemical reactions that leave very little residual monomer.