Chemistry 6 Report: Analysis of Aluminium Content in Deodorants

This report provides a comprehensive literature review on the analysis of aluminium content in deodorants and antiperspirants. It begins by introducing the topic, highlighting the increasing use of these products and the presence of aluminium salts as active ingredients. The report then outlines the area of study, hypothesis, and aims, focusing on the determination of the main constituents and the health effects of high aluminium concentrations. The core of the report is structured thematically, covering the biotoxicity of aluminium compounds, the use of aluminium compounds in antiperspirants, and the analytical methods used to study aluminium in deodorants. The review includes discussions on specific aluminium compounds like aluminium chlorohydrate, efficacy assessments of deodorants, the constituent and mechanism of action, and the evidential value of these products. It also presents findings from studies using techniques like one-drop analysis to detect aluminium, and case studies on hyperaluminemia. The report concludes by summarizing the key findings and providing a list of references. The report also includes tables and figures presenting data on aluminium concentration, deodorant demand, and effectiveness of antiperspirants, offering a detailed analysis of the subject.

Chemistry
ANALYSIS ALUMINUM CONTAINS IN THE DEODORANT

1Chemistry
Table of Contents
Literature Review..........................................................................................................2
Introduction...................................................................................................................2
Area of study.............................................................................................................2
Hypothesis................................................................................................................2
26 Labelled aluminium chlorohydrate in deodorants................................................3
Efficacy assessment of deodorants..........................................................................3
Constituent and mechanism of deodorant and antiperspirant action.......................4
Evidential value of perfumes, deodorants and antiperspirants.................................4
One Drop Analysis of Deodorants for the detection of Aluminium...........................5
Hyperaluminemia in women using Aluminium containing Antiperspirant.................6
Aluminium salts and variety of health disorders.......................................................6
Aluminium in antiperspirants- Reduction in content to prevent health risks.............7
Worldwide data for deodorant constituent (Al).........................................................7
Stable aluminium chlorohydrate alkali metal and alkaline earth metal complex for
antiperspirants.........................................................................................................10
A liquid dispenser containing antiperspirant aluminium salt...................................10
Use of aluminium compounds as antiperspirants...................................................10
Antiperspirant formulation (clear, gelled aluminium salts)......................................11
Betaine- A stabilizer for aluminium antiperspirants................................................11
Aluminium in deodorant brands: Quantitative analysis...........................................12
Conclusion..................................................................................................................12
References.................................................................................................................14

2Chemistry
List of Tables
Fig 4. Potential of deodorants in Markets of Europe……………………………………
10
Fig 5. Effectiveness of antiperspirant of two
groups…………………………………….12
Fig 6. Comparative analysis of the experimental concentration of Al and theoretical
concentration of Al …………………………………………………………………………
13

3Chemistry
List of Figures
Fig 1. Standard vs Real sample voltammetry analysis curve……………………………
7
Fig 2. Plasma aluminium levels of the woman (patient)
………………………………….8
Fig 3. Deodorant demand (worldwide pie chart)…………………………………………
10

4Chemistry
Literature Review
Abstract
A minute quantity of aluminium carbohydrate (ACH) has been observed as an active
ingredient associated with the use of antiperspirants. According to the
discussionspublished research literature, it can be stated that the human body has
an effective mechanism in order to remove the absorbed aluminium from the blood.
However, people with kidney dysfunction and renal failure are more affected by the
harmful effects of aluminium. This paper showed that diseases such as Alzheimer's
disease and other nervous system disorders have been found to be caused by
overexposure of aluminium to human skin. More than 90% of the population in the
United States has been observed to use deodorants and antiperspirants. Aluminium
salt has been observed as an active ingredient inside all the antiperspirants present
in the US markets.
Introduction
Overproduction of sweaty skin sweat and body odours has been found to be a
very unpleasant factor in various social groups. Thus, the use of antiperspirants and
deodorants are becoming significant nowadays. Deodorants are made up of various
chemicals in the form of either liquid or gas or aerosol. A minute quantity of
aluminium carbohydrate (ACH) has been observed used as an active ingredient
associated with the use of antiperspirants.ref More than 90% of the population in the
United States has been observed to use deodorants and antiperspirants. Ref
Aluminium salt has been observed as an active ingredient inside all the
antiperspirants present in the US markets. This factor has become a flourishing topic
for research in the 21st century. Extreme sensitivity has been found to be associated
with the exposure of aluminium to human skin.ref However, the human body has an
effective mechanism in order to remove the absorbed aluminium from the blood.

5Chemistry
Area of study
Still, people with kidney dysfunction and renal failure are more affected by the
harmful effects of aluminium. Diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and other
nervous system disorders have been found to be caused by overexposure of
aluminium to human skin. Soluble aluminium salts have been used as
antiperspirants has been found to differ in relative amount with chlorine and
zirconium contents of deodorants. The next section will discuss the systematic
literature review based on sixteen research articles collected from various
databases.
Hypothesis
Null hypothesis
Deodorants and antiperspirants are made up of aluminium and its compounds
as the main components.
Alternate hypothesis
Deodorants and antiperspirants are not made up of aluminium and its
compounds as the main components.
Aim and Objectives
The aim of this study is to discuss the analysis of aluminium content in
deodorants, in the form of literature review.
The objectives of this study are:
1. To determine the main constituents of antiperspirants and deodorants
2. To analyse the health effects of a high concentration of aluminium in deodorants
and antiperspirants.
PLEASE USE THE FOLLOWING SECTION THEMES FOR A MORE LOGICAL
STRUCTURE
1. Aluminium salts and biotoxicity - summarise what is known about biotoxicity of different
chemical forms of aluminium. (This might include summarising hyperaluminemia, Alzheimer’s
contact dermatitis et cetera)
2. Use of aluminium compounds in antiperspirants and deodorants - any other constituents within
the deodorants/antiperspirants formulations could be mentioned here too. Also include

6Chemistry
dispensing method e.g. aerosol versus solid stick. Worth mentioning here that they’re going for
aluminium free versions in some cases.
3. Discuss which types of aluminium compounds are used in antiperspirants and deodorants -
formulae and chemical properties with respect to toxicity and functionality within
deodorants/antiperspirants. What is known specifically about toxicity within antiperspirants or
deodorants (if you don’t find anything explicitly so you don’t find anything in the literature)
4. Summarise the analytical methods that have been used to study aluminium in deodorants in the
scientific literature and what the results have been in terms of concentration determines and
limitations to the techniques concerned.
26 Labelled aluminium chlorohydrate in deodorants
A very small Aluminium carbohydrate (ACH) quantity has been found as an
active ingredient inside antiperspirants. This compound was labelled with a
radioisotope in order 26Al in order to measure the amount inside the chosen
deodorant. The labelled drug has been used in future studies for the measurement of
the aluminium absorption in the antiperspirants. This study successfully
demonstrated that the use of radiolabelled aluminium ACH has resulted inside a
uniformly labelled complex. Thus the measurement of this radiolabelled aluminium
component inside the deodorant has given the actual measurement of the amount of
aluminium in the deodorant. The ratio of radiolabelled aluminium collected from
human blood was found to be more than 400 Bq/g on an average. From the
seventy-two evenly spaced samples, uniformly labelled aluminium (ACH) has been
found to be present inside the deodorant. Al-26 has been found to be labelled (ACH)
which has been absorbed by human blood after they use the deodorants1.
Efficacy assessment of deodorants
Another research study stated that the use of deodorants has been increasing
because of the overproduction of sweaty skin and body odours which are unpleasant
in many social groups2. Body cleansing products have been designed in order to
fight the undesirable features associated with human skin. Deodorants are being
used in order to control the emotionally triggered sweating occurring in the human
armpit. Antiperspirants and deodorants have been designed in order to control the
malodour which is generated from the bacteria which are present in the modified
sweat. This paper successfully discussed the action mechanisms of deodorants and
antiperspirants which are described along with their efficacies. This demonstration
has been successfully made by the use of different measurement methods to test

7Chemistry
the efficacy of antiperspirants. Water evaporation and gravimetric methods are used
for the quantification of antiperspirants effectiveness which is measured by the
indirect support provided by the visualization of apocrine gland collection of sweat
after its excretion with volatile compounds. Axillary hyperhidrosis and bacterial
proliferation have been found to be controlled by cosmetic products. This was found
as a result of this research which indirectly measured the effectiveness of these
products.
Constituent and mechanism of deodorant and antiperspirant action
This article found that aluminium and various other metallic slats have
including zirconium helps in the reduction of sweat by creating a mechanical
obstruction to the eccrine sweat duct. The portion of eccrine glands associated with
the secretion of sweat is blocked by metallic salts like aluminium. This factor leads to
the structural and functional degeneration of sweat glands leading to a long term
permanent loss of secretory functions. In the year 1947, aluminium carbohydrate
was brought to the market which was less effective and less irritating. Low
concentrations of ACH, aluminium sesquichlorohydrate, aluminium chlorohydrex and
aluminium zirconium tetracholrohydrate has been found by the researchers as the
major component of deodorants and antiperspirants. After going through this piece of
literature, it can be stated that deodorants and antiperspirants are composed of
aluminium in a very high amount but different forms. This is the overall conclusion
which can be drawn from this article3.
Evidential value of perfumes, deodorants and antiperspirants
This article states that activated aluminium chlorohydrate powder holds 36%
of the total antiperspirant chemical constituents. This compound is used as an
antiperspirant in the deodorants used in the sports field. Antiperspirants have been
primarily formulated in order to reduce the sweat amount which is produced by the
eccrine glands. Both polymeric and loosely hydrate aluminium chloride complexes
have been found to effectively block the eccrine glands. This factor has been found
as a result of other research articles stated before. ACH and aluminium-zirconium
chlorohydex-glycerine (AZG) has been found to be the drying agents used in
deodorants and antiperspirants4. Thus, it can be stated that aluminium is an active
ingredient of deodorants and antiperspirants because of its ability to block the
eccrine sweat glands. There is a range of allowed concentrations of these

8Chemistry
compounds for using inside deodorants. When the manufacturer crosses the range
of this allowable concentration, health problems associated with the sweat glands
occurs. These are the overall findings of this research study which is based on the
quantification of aluminium concentration in deodorants.
One Drop Analysis of Deodorants for the detection of Aluminium
The authors of this study did a one drop analysis with screen printed silver
electrodes in order to test the presence of aluminium chlorohydrate in selected
deodorants and antiperspirants5. Reduction of body odours has been found to occur
through the interactions with sweat glands in order to produce insoluble aluminium
hydroxide and free chloride that plugs the sweat glands to stop the sweat glands to
flow their secreted sweat. One drop (50 microliters) has been used in
electrochemical sensing associated with ACH which uses all the three inner surfaces
in the skin. On the silver surface, the liberated free chlorine ion was detected on the
surface at 0.072 Volt. The cyclic voltammetric technique has been used in order to
study the presence of aluminium in the chosen deodorants. Both the real and
standard sample showed similar types of the curve for the voltammetric assay
proving the fact that antiperspirants and deodorants consist of aluminium and its
associated compounds. This fact has been shown to be relevant from the figure
given below (Fig 1).
Fig 1: Standard vs Real sample voltammetry analysis curve
Source: (5)

9Chemistry
Hyperaluminemia in women using Aluminium containing Antiperspirant
Aluminium has been observed as a highly toxic and overload has been found to
cause anaemia, dementia, and bone disease in patients with renal function.
Aluminium has been found as the compound leading to various health hazards
including Alzheimer’s disease. Compounds having aluminium has been found to be
widely used in the deodorants and as antacids for the therapy for peptic and acidic
diseases6. The use of phosphate binders during the treatment of chronic kidney
failure has been found to detect an increase in the plasma aluminium levels of blood.
This case report found that a woman has developed hyperaluminemia in women
after four years of constantly using deodorants and antiperspirants. ACH is a water-
soluble aluminium complex which blocks the sweat secretory glands and is
associated with the transdermal uptake of aluminium slats which are potentially
harmful. Blockage of the sweat gland secretion is the major reasons for the
associated disease6. Figure 2 shows the level of plasma aluminium concentrations
from the patient blood.
Fig 2: Plasma aluminium levels of the woman (patient)
Source: (6)
Aluminium salts and variety of health disorders
According to a publication of Health & Wellbeing, it can be stated that the
antiperspirants and deodorants in global markets are booming. Despite the
ingredients being harmful, these products are still sold in the market. Most of the

10Chemistry
deodorants use antiseptic ingredients like chlorine and aluminium in order to kill the
harmful and pathogenic microbes which live inside the armpits. Antiperspirants have
been found to block the sweat pores which prevents the flow of nutrients from armpit
which promotes the survival of microbes. Most of the current compounds have been
used to control the growth of microbes in human armpits. However, aluminium has
been found to be associated with the causes of cancer and Alzheimer's disease 7.
Thus, the generation of aluminium free antiperspirants has become important in
order to prevent the occurrence of these chronic health disorders. These are the
overall findings of this article based on the advent of effective aluminium free
antiperspirants in place of general aluminium-containing deodorants.
Aluminium in antiperspirants- Reduction in content to prevent health
risks
Not only in deodorants, is aluminium present in lipsticks and sunscreens too.
Thus it can be said that aluminium is present in most of the cosmetics used by
people. In underarm cosmetic, ACH is the most active antiperspirant agent which
may constitute the primary exposure route to the human blood and act as a potential
damage source. The potential toxicity of Al has been shown in recent works and has
been argued by various research studies. According to other research studies, it can
be stated that aluminium is also responsible for causing breast cancer. Various
studies have been found to suggest the presence of Al in human breast which
influences a metastatic growth process. Cell toxicity has been stated to be caused by
Al and finally leading to cancer. This was a qualitative and in vitro study done to
identify the aluminium constituents of the human breast. These are the overall
findings of this research study8.
Worldwide data for deodorant constituent (Al)
According to the worldwide reports, Europe has the highest demand for deodorants
and antiperspirants followed by North America and the Caribbean ending in the
Middle East countries9.

11Chemistry
Fig 3: Deodorant demand (worldwide pie chart)
Source: (9)
In Africa, deodorants are mostly sold in South Africa whereas, in Asia,
deodorants are mostly sold in Japan. In Europe, deodorants are mostly sold in the
United Kingdom followed by Germany, France and Italy.