Phenoxyethanol, (Ethylene Glycol phenyl ether ( EPH )) ether and aromatic alcohol produced by the reaction of phenol and ethylene oxide under high pressure and at high temperature in the presence of an alkaline catalyst.
The name "Phenoxyethanol" can be decomposed as follows:
- "Phenoxy" indicates the presence of a phenoxy group in the molecule, which is a phenyl ring (a six-carbon aromatic ring) bonded to an oxygen atom.
- "Ethanol" indicates the presence of an ethanol group in the molecule, which is an alcohol group (-OH) bonded to a two-carbon chain.
It occurs as a colourless to pale yellow transparent liquid. Mixable with many organic solvents, 783 DBE benzyl alcohol, alcohol, ether, strong permeability.
What it is used for and where it is used
It has been used since 1970 as a broad-spectrum preservative antimicrobial in cosmetics against Gram-negative bacteria, moulds and yeasts. It occurs naturally in green tea but is produced chemically using phenol and ethylene oxide. Germicidal and germicidal, it is often used with a quaternary ammonium compound.
Other applications:
- typical organic solvent with high boiling point and low volatility
- insect repellent
- excellent solubility for cellulose acetate, inks, resins such as acrylic resins, epoxy resin, alkyd resin, phenoxy resin, ethylcellulose, nitrocellulose, dyes, methyl hydroxybenzoate in the electronic circuit board industry
- perfume fixative
- synthesis of the fungicide propiconazole
- anaesthetic in fish aquaculture
- extractor in the oil industry
- UV curing agent
- liquid chromatography transport liquid
As for many other preservatives included in the formula of cosmetic products, the scientific literature warns about general and specific contraindications concerning the application of this preservative.
It is considered by ICEA (Institute for Ethical and Environmental Certification) as bio-ecological, but irritating to the skin if higher than 1%.
In general, the 2019 study by B Dréno et al. finds this preservative to be well tolerated and rarely sensitizing. I report its abstract: "Phenoxyethanol, or 2-phenoxyethanol, has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and has been widely used as a preservative in cosmetic products for decades. It is effective against various Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, as well as against yeasts, and has only a weak inhibitory effect on resident skin flora. According to the European Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety, phenoxyethanol is safe for all consumers - including children of all ages - when used as a preservative in cosmetic products at a maximum concentration of 1%. Adverse systemic effects have been observed in toxicological studies on animals but only when the levels of exposure were many magnitudes higher (around 200-fold higher) than those to which consumers are exposed when using phenoxyethanol-containing cosmetic products. Despite its widespread use in cosmetic products, phenoxyethanol is a rare sensitizer. It can be considered as one of the most well-tolerated preservatives used in cosmetic products." (1).
In contrast, regarding specific glands, this 2020 study by Jingyi Wang et al. warns of the toxicity of Phenoxyethanol to the epithelial cells of the Meibomian gland, which secretes, via its ducts, the human tear film, a major source of lipids. I report the abstract: "Recently, we discovered that the cosmetic preservatives, benzalkonium chloride and formaldehyde, are especially toxic to human meibomian gland epithelial cells (HMGECs). Exposure to these agents, at concentrations approved for human use, leads within hours to cellular atrophy and death. We hypothesize that these effects are not unique, and that other cosmetic preservatives also exert adverse effects on HMGECs. Such compounds include parabens, phenoxyethanol and chlorphenesin, which have been reported to be toxic to corneal and conjunctival epithelial cells, the liver and kidney, as well as to irritate the eye. To test our hypothesis, we examined the influence of parabens, phenoxyethanol and chlorphenesin on the morphology, signaling, survival, proliferation and lipid expression of immortalized (I) HMGECs. These cells were cultured under proliferating or differentiating conditions with varying concentrations of methylparaben, ethylparaben, phenoxyethanol and chlorphenesin for up to 5 days. We monitored the signaling ability, appearance, number and neutral lipid content of the IHMGECs, as well as their lysosome accumulation. Our findings show that a 30-min exposure of IHMGECs to these preservatives results in a significant reduction in the activity of the Akt pathway. This effect is dose-dependent and occurs at concentrations equal to (chlorphenesin) and less than (all others) those dosages approved for human use. Further, a 24-h treatment of the IHMGECs with concentrations of methylparaben, ethylparaben, phenoxyethanol and chlorphenesin close to, or at, the approved human dose induces cellular atrophy and death. At all concentrations tested, no preservative stimulated IHMGEC proliferation. Of particular interest, it was not possible to evaluate the influence of these preservatives, at close to human approved dosages, on IHMGEC differentiation, because the cells did not survive the treatment. In summary, our results support our hypothesis and show that methylparaben, ethylparaben, phenoxyethanol and chlorphenesin are toxic to IHMGECs." (2).
In a list of the most common 100 allergenic ingredients found in facial creams, cited by Alyssa M Thompson et al (3), Phenoxyethanol ranks second after EDTA and before Cetyl Alcohol.
However, it should be noted that phenoxyethanol is a direct derivative of ethylene oxide, a chemical compound which is banned in Europe because it is considered 'carcinogenic' (4).
Phenoxyethanol studies
Typical optimal characteristics of the commercial product Phenoxyethanol Ethylene Glycol phenyl ether (EPH)
| Appearance | Colourless to pale yellow transparent liquid |
| Assay | ≥99.0% |
Boiling Point
| 245.2±0.0 °C at 760 mmHg |
Melting Point
| 11-13 °C |
Flash Point
| 105.3±14.1 °C |
| pH | 5.5-7.0 |
APHA (Pt-Co
| ≤30 |
| Water | ≤0.2% |
| Phenol | ≤25ppm |
| PSA | 29.46000 |
| LogP | 1.16 |
Vapour density
| 4.8 |
| Vapour Pressure | 0.0±0.5 mmHg at 25°C 0.01 mm Hg ( 20 °C) |
Water Solubility
| 30 g/L (20 ºC) |
Index of Refraction
| 1.526 n20/D 1.539 |
Auto-ignition temperature
| 535 °C |
Explosion limit
| 1.4-9.0%(V) |
| Storage | Room temperature |
| Safety |  |
- Molecular Formula: C8H10O2 or C6H5OC2H4OH
- Molecular Weight: 138.166 g/mol
- Exact mass 138.068085
- CAS: 122-99-6 9004-78-8
- EC Number: 204-589-7 500-013-6
- UNIII: HIE492ZZ3T
- DSSTox Substance ID
- InChI=1S/C8H10O2/c9-6-7-10-8-4-2-1-3-5-8/h1-5,9H,6-7H2
- InChl Key QCDWFXQBSFUVSP-UHFFFAOYSA-N
- SMILES C1=CC=C(C=C1)OCCO
- IUPAC 2-phenoxyethanol
- ChEBI 64275
- ICSC 0538
- NSC 1864
- RTECS KM0350000
- FEMA Number: 4620
- Beilstein Registry Number: 1364011
- MDL number: MFCD00002857
- PubChem Substance ID: 329750804
Synonyms:
- Ethylene glycol monophenyl ether
- Phenyl cellosolve
- Phenoxyethyl alcohol
- Ethanol, 2-phenoxy-
- Phenylmonoglycol ether
- Phenoxytol
- 1-Hydroxy-2-phenoxyethane
- Phenoxethol
- Glycol monophenyl ether
- Phenoxetol
- 2-Hydroxyethyl phenyl ether
- Ethylene glycol phenyl ether
References_______________________________________________________________________
(1) Dréno B, Zuberbier T, Gelmetti C, Gontijo G, Marinovich M. Safety review of phenoxyethanol when used as a preservative in cosmetics. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2019 Nov;33 Suppl 7:15-24. doi: 10.1111/jdv.15944.
(2) Wang J, Liu Y, Kam WR, Li Y, Sullivan DA. Toxicity of the cosmetic preservatives parabens, phenoxyethanol and chlorphenesin on human meibomian gland epithelial cells. Exp Eye Res. 2020 Jul;196:108057. doi: 10.1016/j.exer.2020.108057.
(3) Thompson AM, Kromenacker B, Loh TY, Ludwig CM, Segal R, Shi VY. Allergenic potential, marketing claims, and pricing of facial moisturizers. Dermatol Online J. 2020 Jul 15;26(7):13030/qt5vm144th.
(4) Presence of ethylene oxide in food – action by the Commission (europa.eu)
Phenoxy-ethanol 
