Safety analysis of cosmetic packaging materials

Safety analysis of cosmetic packaging materials

Abstract: The health quality of cosmetics has always been concerned, but for a long time the national supervision and management departments only focus on the supervision of the toxic substance content in cosmetics raw materials, but ignore the toxic effect of cosmetics packaging materials. This paper discusses the adaptability and safety of cosmetic packaging materials and cosmetics, and provides theoretical basis and guidance for the applicability of packaging materials and cosmetics.

1. Safety of cosmetic packaging materials

The hygienic quality of cosmetics has always been concerned, but for a long time, the national supervision and administration departments only focus on the supervision of the toxic substance content in cosmetic materials, but ignore the toxic effect of cosmetic packaging materials. Cosmetics are directly in contact with the skin without detoxification through the liver area is directly absorbed by the skin, its quality should be strictly monitored. Packaging is an indispensable part of cosmetics, only the selection of appropriate packaging materials and packaging way, can effectively ensure the quality of cosmetics and the safety of users. Relevant literature shows that the migration of additives to contents in plastic packaging materials of food and medicine does exist, especially the migration to grease content can not be ignored. Grease is also one of the main components of cosmetics, but there are very few studies on the material transfer of cosmetic packaging materials, and the laws and standards of cosmetic packaging materials are insufficient and blank. On the other hand, for aesthetic and cost reduction reasons, manufacturers seldom consider the adaptability and safety of packaging materials and cosmetics when choosing cosmetic packaging materials. In this paper, representative cosmetics packaging materials in use are selected to analyze their total migration and specific migration as well as barrier properties. This will provide theoretical basis and guidance for the applicability of packaging materials and cosmetics.

2. Analysis of dissolved substances from packaging materials and their effects

The dissolution test is the basis of chemical test, which can judge the total material migration of packaging material quickly and easily. Small molecules or oligomers in cosmetic packaging materials may be dissolved and precipitated in cosmetics, and then pose harm to human body, so chemical substances dissolved test should be done. It can quickly screen out some materials with better performance, avoid blindly wasting a lot of money and save valuable time.

Dissolute refers to a kind of substance that migrates into the product from the contact material under the actual process conditions. Dissolution is considered to be a subset of precipitates. These impurities come from packaging materials. The dissolved matter contains both organic and inorganic components. Organic dissolvable substances may be monomers or oligomers of polymer materials, additives, crosslinking agents or trapped agents, antioxidant additives, plasticizers, pigments, lubricants, release agents, etc., which are used in the production process of packaging materials. And these dissolute itself may directly affect the chemical or physical properties of cosmetics, including high concentration of acidic or alkaline dissolute components may force cosmetics beyond the range of pH specifications; Some dissolute may affect the composition of cosmetics; The accumulation of some dissolved substances may affect the color change of cosmetics, etc. May increase impurity content, or form particulate matter. Therefore, corresponding dissolvable test items can be established for cosmetic packaging materials.

3. commonly used antioxidant analysis

Polyethylene (PE) resin, polypropylene (PP) resin in the environment is easy to be oxidized degradation, so in order to improve their physical and chemical properties, people through the palace PE, PP original bucket to add antioxidant. PE and PP polymerization form thermal oxidation through a series of free radical chain reactions. The chemical bonds of organic molecules break under the action of heat, light or oxygen, resulting in active free radicals and hydroperoxides. Hydroperoxides decompose simultaneously to form hydrocarbon oxygen radical and hydrocarbon radical. These free radicals in turn initiate a series of free radical chain reactions that change the structure and properties of the resin. Therefore, the addition of antioxidants can eliminate the free radicals produced by the process and prevent the chain reaction from taking place. Antioxidants are divided into primary antioxidants that eliminate free radicals, such as aromatic amines and obstructed phenols and their derivatives, and auxiliary antioxidants that decompose hydroperoxides, such as organic compounds containing phosphorus and sulfur. The commonly used antioxidants in PE and PP container packaging materials include obstructed antioxidant 1010, antioxidant 626, antioxidant 330, antioxidant 1076, antioxidant BHT, antioxidant 245, phosphite ester, antioxidant 168, etc.

4. Test and study of vessel barrier performance

Barrier property is an important index to investigate the properties of plastic packaging materials. Whether it is food packaging or cosmetic packaging, there are certain requirements on the barrier performance of packaging materials, and drug packaging materials barrier performance requirements are higher. Packaging materials only have good barrier performance, can prevent outside gas invasion, so as not to food, drugs, cosmetics and other oxidation metamorphism; Just can prevent the infiltration of water or water vapor, lest food, drugs, cosmetics and so on be affected by damp mildew, change its dose. High barrier material science has become a major direction of packaging materials research and development.

The barrier performance of plastic packaging materials is generally reflected by the detection of gas through volume, water vapor through volume, ethanol through volume and oil permeability. Gas permeability test, usually to measure the permeability of carbon dioxide, nitrogen and other materials. The measurement methods of gas permeability mainly include differential pressure method and electric quantity analysis method. Differential pressure method is widely used at present. Water vapor and ethanol permeability test is mainly to investigate the resistance of packaging materials to water vapor and ethanol. There are mainly used for film, thin film, aluminum foil and other pieces of the cup method, electrical analysis method and infrared detector method, used to detect the barrier performance of the container weight method. Gravimetric method is widely used in inspection and packaging industry in China because of its advantages of simple operation and low cost of equipment.

Conclusion:It is particularly urgent and important to study the safety of cosmetic packaging materials, establish relevant inspection and detection methods, and find out the relevant material migration rules. These will provide guidance for similar products in China's cosmetics market to choose packaging materials, save material screening costs and production costs, reduce energy waste will have great significance; At the same time to provide effective scientific research data for regulating cosmetics; It also provides scientific basis for the use of cosmetic packaging.