Polyvinyl Acetate, as used in cosmetic products, is a latex emulsion known as the homopolymer of ethenyl acetate. It is used as a binder, emulsion stabilizer, and hair fixative at concentrations less than 25%. Polyvinyl Acetate was nonmutagenic in the Ames assay, with and without activation, and in the Chinese Hamster fibroblast cell assay. Carcinogenic implantation studies using mice gave negative results. It is concluded that the data available are insufficient to support the safety of Polyvinyl Acetate as currently used in cosmetic products. The types of data needed to complete the safety evaluation are listed in the report.
References
1.
Bishop, B.M., Davies, E.H., and Von Frauninhofer, J.A. (1985). Materials for mouth protectors. J. Prosthet. Dent.53(2):256–261.
2.
Brand, I., Buoen, L.C., and Brand, K.G. (1977). Foreign-body tumors of mice: strain and sex differences in latency and incidence. J. Natl. Cancer Inst.58:1443–1447. IARC Monogr. (1979) 19:415.
3.
Brand, K.G., Buoen, L.C., and Brand, I. (1975). Foreign-body tumorigenesis by vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer: no evidence for chemical cocarcinogenesis. J. Natl. Cancer Inst.54:1259–1262. IARC Monogr. (1979). 19:415.
4.
Carpenter, W.M., Grower, M.F., and Nash, G. (1976). Histocompatibility of polyvinyl acetate, an ingredient of chewing gum. Oral Surg. Oral Med. Oral Pathol.42(4):461–469.
5.
Clayson, D.B. (1962). Chemical Carcinogenesis. Boston: Little Brown and Company, p. 107.
6.
Code Of Federal Regulations (Cfr). (1982). Title 21, Part 720.4.
7.
Coletta, G.C. (1985). Chemical protective clothing: Technology will shape the future. Occupat. Health Safety54(9):50.
8.
Cosmetic, Toiletry, And Fragrance Association (Ctfa). (1984). CTFA List of Japanese Cosmetic Ingredients. Washington, D.C.: CTFA.
9.
Eiermann, H.J. (December 1989). Personal communication to Dr. Robert Elder, Director, Cosmetic Ingredient Review.
10.
Elder, R.L. (Ed.). (1983). Final Report on the Safety Assessment of Vinyl Acetate/Crotonic Acid Copolymer. J. Am. Col. Toxicol.2(5):125–140.
11.
Estrin, N.F., Crosley, P.A., and Haynes, C.R. (1982). CTFA Cosmetic Ingredient Dictionary. Washington, D.C.: The Comsetic, Toiletry, and Fragrance Association (CTFA).
12.
Food And Drug Administration (Fda). (1989). Product formulation computer printout.
13.
Food Chemicals Codex (Fcc). (1981). Third Edition. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press. p. 237.
14.
Food Chemical News Guide (Fcng). (1988). Guide to the current status of food additives and color additives. Washington, D.C.: The Food Chemical News Guide. p. 351.
15.
Furia, T.E. (Ed.). (1977). CRC Handbook of Food Additives. Second Ed. Vol. I. Cleveland, OH: CRC Press, Inc., p. 922.
16.
Gebbers, J.O., Tetzer, C., and Burkhardt, A. (1979). Alveolitis due to hairspray. Ultrastructural observations in two patients and the results of experimental investigations. Virchows Arch. [Pathol. Anat.]382(3):323–338.
17.
Grant, J. (Ed.). (1972). Hackh's Chemical Dictionary. Fourth Ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, p. 536.
18.
Hawley, G.G. (Ed.). (1971). The Condensed Chemical Dictionary. Eighth Edition. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold Company. p. 714.
19.
International Agency For Research On Cancer (Iarc). (1979). IARC Monogr.19:341–366.
20.
Ishidate, M.J. Jr., Sofuni, T., Yoshikawa, K., Hayashi, M., Nohmi, T., Sawada, M., and Matsuoka, A. (1984). Primary mutagenicity screening of food additives currently used in Japan. Food Chem. Toxicol.22(8):623–636.
21.
Lindemann, M.K. (1971). Vinyl Ester Polymers. In: Bikales, N.M. (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Polymer Science and Technology, Plastics, Resins, Rubbers, Fibers, Vol. 15. New York: Interscience. (See IARC 1979).
22.
Lindon, J.N., Rodvein, R., Brier, D., Greenberg, R., Merrill, E., and Salzman, E.W. (1978). In vitro assessment of interaction of blood with model surfaces. J. Lab. Clin. Med.92(6):904–915.
23.
Maltoni, C. (1976). Carcinogenicity of vinyl chloride-current results—experimental evidence. Ad Tumor Prev Detect Choract3:216–37.
24.
Matharu, R.S. and Lalla, J.K. (1985). Characteristics of some film-coating systems. Res. Ind.30(4):362–365.
25.
Miyasaki, K. (1975). Experimental polymer storage disease in rabbits. An approach to the histogenesis of sphingolipidoses. Virchows Arch. (Pathol. Anat.).365(4):351–365.
26.
Nikitakis, J. (Ed.). (1988). CTFA Cosmetic Ingredient Handbook. First Edition. Washington, D.C.: CTFA.
27.
National Institute For Occupational Safety And Health (Niosh) (1978). Criteria for a recommended standard. Occupational Exposure to Vinyl Acetate DHEW (NIOSH) Publication No. 78–205.
28.
Reid, J.D. and Sarantakos, G. (1966). Infiltrating and embedding tissues with mixtures of polyethylene glycols and polyvinyl acetate resins. Stain Technol.41(4):207–10.
29.
Rossoff, I.S. (1974). Handbook of Veterinary Drugs. New York: Springer Publishing Company, p. 468.
30.
Sax, N.I. (Ed.). (1979). Dangerous Properties of Industrial Materials, Fifth Ed. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, p. 1086.
31.
Scherbak, B.I., Broitman, L.Y., Yatsenko, T.B., and Kolesnikov, S.I. (1975). Toxicological characteristics of some polytvinyl acetate) dispersions (PVAD). (Russian, from abstract). (See IARC 1979.)
32.
Union Carbide Corporation (Ucc). (1989a). Union Carbide Polyvinyl Acetate Resins. Submission of data to CTFA. Available upon request: Director, Cosmetic Ingredient Review, 1101 17th Street, N.W., Suite 310, Washington, D.C. 20036.
33.
Ucc. (1989b). Material safety data sheets for vinyl acetate polymers. Submission of data to CTFA. Available upon request: Director, Cosmetic Ingredient Review, 1101 17th Street, N.W., Suite 310, Washington, D.C. 20036.
34.
Windholz, M. (Ed.). (1983). The Merck Index. Tenth Edition. Rahway, N.J.: Merck and Co., Inc., p. 1429.
