Ammonium Silver Zinc Aluminum Silicate is an inorganic chemical compound. Composite product obtained by the reaction of zinc nitrate, ammonium nitrate and silver nitrate with zeolite.

The name describes the structure of the molecule:

• Silicate refers to silicates, a class of minerals that contain silicon and oxygen, often in combination with other elements.
• Ammonium Silver Zinc Aluminum indicates that the silicate in question contains ammonium, silver, zinc, and aluminum in its structure. This combination of elements gives the compound unique properties, such as the ability to absorb, thicken, stabilize, and potential antimicrobial properties.

Raw Materials and Their Functions

Zinc Nitrate, Ammonium Nitrate, and Silver Nitrate. Salts used as sources of zinc, ammonium, and silver in the reaction with zeolite.

Zeolite. A mineral with a crystalline network structure that reacts with the nitrates to form the complex silicate.

Industrial Chemical Synthesis of Ammonium Silver Zinc Aluminum Silicate

• Reaction with Zeolite with the reaction of zinc nitrate, ammonium nitrate, and silver nitrate with zeolite. This reaction leads to the formation of ammonium silver zinc aluminum silicate.
• Reaction Control. The reaction is monitored to ensure it occurs correctly and the final product has the desired properties.
• Purification. After the reaction, the compound is purified to remove impurities and by-products.
• Quality Control . The purified ammonium silver zinc aluminum silicate undergoes quality checks to ensure it meets the required standards. After quality control, it is packaged for use in pharmaceutical and cosmetic products, where it utilizes its antimicrobial and catalytic properties.

Form and Color

 Ammonium Silver Zinc Aluminum Silicate is typically a solid in the form of fine powder. This compound can vary in color, often appearing in shades of gray or blue, depending on the specific composition and production process.

What it is used for and where

Ammonium Silver Zinc Aluminum Silicate is used in cosmetics and skincare products for its mattifying, absorbing, and potentially antimicrobial properties. It is also employed in industrial applications for its physical and chemical properties, such as in composite materials and coatings.

Cosmetics

It is primarily used as a pigment and additive in cosmetic products, paints, and ceramic materials. In cosmetics, it is valued for its ability to provide unique and vibrant colors, especially in eyeshadows, nail polishes, and other makeup products. In the paint and ceramics industry, it is used for its color stability and heat resistance properties.

Absorbent. Absorbs substances dispersed or dissolved in aqueous solutions, water/oil, oil/water.

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.  It helps counteract the formation of bad odours on body surfaces.

Preservative. Any product containing organic, inorganic compounds, water, needs to be preserved from microbial contamination. Preservatives act against the development of harmful microorganisms and against oxidation of the product.

EC number 603-404-0

CAS: 130328-20-0

Safety

Aluminium can interfere with different biological processes (cellular oxidative stress, calcium metabolism, etc.), so it can induce toxic effects in different organs and systems, and the nervous system is the main target of its toxicity.

Careful consideration should be given to the risk of cumulative aluminum intake, which cannot be ruled out because this ingredient can be found in both cosmetic products and widely consumed food products such as bread, various baked goods (1).

References_____________________________________________________________________

(1) Tietz, T., Lenzner, A., Kolbaum, A.E. et al. Aggregated aluminium exposure: risk assessment for the general population. Arch Toxicol 93, 3503–3521 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00204-019-02599-z

 Abstract. Aluminium is one of the most abundant elements in earth’s crust and its manifold uses result in an exposure of the population from many sources. Developmental toxicity, effects on the urinary tract and neurotoxicity are known effects of aluminium and its compounds. Here, we assessed the health risks resulting from total consumer exposure towards aluminium and various aluminium compounds, including contributions from foodstuffs, food additives, food contact materials (FCM), and cosmetic products. For the estimation of aluminium contents in foodstuff, data from the German “Pilot-Total-Diet-Study” were used, which was conducted as part of the European TDS-Exposure project. These were combined with consumption data from the German National Consumption Survey II to yield aluminium exposure via food for adults. It was found that the average weekly aluminium exposure resulting from food intake amounts to approx. 50% of the tolerable weekly intake (TWI) of 1 mg/kg body weight (bw)/week, derived by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). For children, data from the French “Infant Total Diet Study” and the “Second French Total Diet Study” were used to estimate aluminium exposure via food. As a result, the TWI can be exhausted or slightly exceeded—particularly for infants who are not exclusively breastfed and young children relying on specially adapted diets (e.g. soy-based, lactose free, hypoallergenic). When taking into account the overall aluminium exposure from foods, cosmetic products (cosmetics), pharmaceuticals and FCM from uncoated aluminium, a significant exceedance of the EFSA-derived TWI and even the PTWI of 2 mg/kg bw/week, derived by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives, may occur. Specifically, high exposure levels were found for adolescents aged 11–14 years. Although exposure data were collected with special regard to the German population, it is also representative for European and comparable to international consumers. From a toxicological point of view, regular exceedance of the lifetime tolerable aluminium intake (TWI/PTWI) is undesirable, since this results in an increased risk for health impairments. Consequently, recommendations on how to reduce overall aluminium exposure are given.

Wong, W.W., Chung, S.W., Kwong, K.P., Yin Ho, Y. and Xiao, Y., 2010. Dietary exposure to aluminium of the Hong Kong population. Food Additives and Contaminants, 27(4), pp.457-463.

Bratakos, S.M., Lazou, A.E., Bratakos, M.S. and Lazos, E.S., 2012. Aluminium in food and daily dietary intake estimate in Greece. Food Additives and Contaminants: Part B, 5(1), pp.33-44.