Propylene Glycol

Are you consuming poison by eating products with Propylene Glycol?

Image from:https://draxe.com/propylene-glycol/

Frist least begin by telling you a little about what Propylene Glycol is.  The IUPAC name is Propane-1,2-diol, and it has many common names such as; 

• 1,2-dihydroxypropane 
• 1,2-propanediol 
• Methyl glycol 
• Trimethyl glycol.

It is produced as a byproduct of fossil fuel, and it can also be manufactured by hydration of propylene oxide. Propane-1,2-diol is tasteless, odorless, transparent oily liquid and, it has a molecular formula of C3H8O2, a molecular weight of 76.095 g/mol. The melting point of  -59°C, and a boiling point of 189°C.

This compound can be found in many cosmetic products because it is soluble in water making it a top chemical for topical products such as cream.  Other places you would see it is in food, tobacco, and pharmaceuticals products. The fundamental reason why propylene glycol is used in many products is that the body can easily absorb it. 

So what happens, if you were to eat some of this chemical?

When the body ingests the chemical, it is converted to lactic acid by ADH then further to pyruvate and ending with glucose. This chemical is not toxic to the body, but like any other product, it can do damage if a large dosage of it is consumed. Some common symptoms are nausea, and it can also damage the liver. 

Alternative: 

The alternative to propylene glycol is propane-1,3-diol, and it is produced from fermentation of corn making it more sustainable and renewable than propylene glycol. 

References: 

• Environmental Health and Medicine Education. https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/csem/csem.asp?csem=12&po=14 (accessed Feb 25, 2019). 

• Ingredient Database. http://thetoxicfreefoundation.com/database/ingredient/13-propanediol (accessed Feb 22, 2019). 

• Ingredient Database. http://thetoxicfreefoundation.com/database/ingredient/13-propanediol (accessed Feb 25, 2019). 

• Propanediol: An alternative to Propylene Glycol. https://library.essentialwholesale.com/propylene-glycol-alternative-propanediol/ (accessed Feb 25, 2019). 

• Propylene Glycol. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/propylene-glycol (accessed Feb 25, 2019). 

• PROPYLENE GLYCOL. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=6&ved=2ahUKEwjJn4rZ0NfgAhVGo54KHWMJCkYQFjAFegQIARAC&url=https://tobacco-information.hpa.gov.tw/common/Download.ashx?t=CLI8001&f=28413544_335/28413544_335_A0242.PDF&usg=AOvVaw0oU9LKOzTNeIcUz5u002B- (accessed Feb 25, 2019). 

• Propylene oxide. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/propyleneoxide#section=Probable-Routes-of-Human-Exposure (accessed Feb 25, 2019).