Aluminum Zirconium Tetrachlorohydrex PEG is a complex compound used primarily as an active ingredient in antiperspirants and deodorants. It is designed to effectively reduce perspiration by forming a gel-like plug in sweat glands, thereby minimizing sweat production and odor.

Chemical Composition and Structure:

• Composition: This compound consists of aluminum and zirconium salts combined with polyethylene glycol (PEG), enhancing its solubility and skin compatibility.
• Structure: The structure involves aluminum and zirconium ions that interact with chloride ions and PEG to form a stable gel-like substance upon application.

Physical Properties:

• Appearance: Typically a white to off-white powder.
• Odor: Generally odorless, making it suitable for various formulations without impacting fragrance.
• Solubility: Soluble in water; forms a clear solution or gel when mixed with liquids.

Production Process:

1. Synthesis: The compound is synthesized through a controlled chemical reaction involving aluminum chloride, zirconium chloride, and PEG.
2. Purification: The resulting product undergoes purification to remove unreacted materials and impurities.
3. Formulation: The purified Aluminum Zirconium Tetrachlorohydrex PEG is then incorporated into antiperspirant or deodorant formulations.

Applications:

• Medical: Occasionally used in dermatological products for conditions like hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating).
• Cosmetics: Primarily used in antiperspirants and deodorants for its effective sweat-blocking properties.

INCI Functions

Deodorant agent. When substances that give off an unpleasant odour are included in cosmetic formulations (typical examples are methyl mercaptan and hydrogen sulphide derived from garlic), deodorants attenuate or eliminate the unpleasant exhalation.

CAS: 246867-10-7

Cosmetic safety

Restricted cosmetic ingredient as III/50 a Relevant Item in the Annexes of the European Cosmetics Regulation 1223/2009. Substance or ingredient reported: Aluminium zirconium chloride hydroxide complexes AlxZr(OH)yClz and the aluminium zirconium chloride hydroxide glycine complexes. 

Maximum concentration in ready for use preparation 20% (as anhydrous aluminium zirconium chloride hydroxide) 5.4% (as zirconium).

The ratio of the number of aluminium atoms to that of zirconium atoms must be between 2 and 10 2. The ratio of the number of (Al+Zr) atoms to that of chlorine atoms must be between 0.9 and 2.1 3. Not to be used in aerosols dispensers (sprays).

PEG (Polyethylene glycol) polymerize condensed ethylene oxide and water and are referred to as polyethylene glycols, but they are actually complex chemical components, polymers bonded together. For example, plastic is polyethylene and has a hard consistency, while polyethylene aggregated with glycol forms a liquid. PEGylation is produced not only as heterification but also as transesterification, which is the transformation of an alcohol by an ester. 

The number that appears after the abbreviation PEG represents the molecular weight, and the higher this number is, the less it penetrates the skin.

The term 'eth' refers to the ethoxylation reaction with ethylene oxide after which residues of ethylene oxide and 1,4-dioxane, chemical compounds considered carcinogenic, may remain. The degree of safety therefore depends on the degree of purity of the compound obtained. No manufacturer appears to provide this information on the label, at least as of the date of this review.

Kim MC, Park SY, Kwon SY, Kim YK, Kim YI, Seo YS, Cho SM, Shin EC, Mok JH, Lee YB. Application of Static Headspace GC-MS Method for Selective 1,4-Dioxane Detection in Food Additives. Foods. 2023 Sep 2;12(17):3299. doi: 10.3390/foods12173299.

Abstract. "Efficient detection methods must be developed for 1,4-dioxane due to its suspected status as a human carcinogen, which is highly mobile in food and environmental resources. In this regard, this experiment has been conducted to develop reliable and selective detection and measurement methods by using static headspace (SH) isolation, followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). A new method was developed for determining the spiked 1,4-dioxane contents in a polyethylene glycol 600 (PEG 600). The optimal condition for SH-GC-MS was discussed. The representative ions of 1,4-dioxane and 1,4-dioxane-d8 in the SIM mode of MS are 88 and 96, respectively, and the peaks of the SIM mode were separated and confirmed. The linear range for the method covers 0.25 to 100 mg/L with a coefficient of determination (R2) ≥ 0.999. The method applicability was demonstrated by spike recovery across a variety of food additives (i.e., chlorine bitartrate, choline chloride, polysorbate 20 and 60, and PEG 1000). All spike recovery from the tested samples was in the range of 89.50-102.68% with a precision of 0.44-11.22%. These findings suggest a new analytical method for food safety inspection, and could be applicable for ensuring the safety of foods and environmental and public health on a broad scale."