Potassium Biphthalate

INCI: POTASSIUM BIPHTHALATE

CAS Number
877-24-7
Function
Buffering agent, pH adjuster, primary pH standard
Safety Rating
MODERATE

Regulatory Status

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡บ EU Status prohibited
๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ US Status permitted
US Notes No specific cosmetic restriction; widely used as analytical pH standard; limited cosmetic use data

For full compliance data across 55 jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.

Safety Data

Margin of Safety (MoS)
not established
Dermal Absorption
moderate
Sensitization
low

Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.

Expert Verdict

Potassium biphthalate is prohibited in the EU due to phthalate-related regulatory concerns, though chemically distinct from restricted phthalate esters. The phthalate association creates significant regulatory and marketing risk; EU REACH and consumer advocacy groups increasingly scrutinize all phthalate-related substances. Potential metabolic hydrolysis to phthalic acid raises theoretical concern. Not recommended for consumer-facing formulations without robust safety dossier justification. Consider alternative buffers such as citrate or lactate systems.

โš ๏ธ
Concern Level: Moderate

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Potassium Biphthalate safe in cosmetics?

Potassium biphthalate is prohibited in the EU due to phthalate-related regulatory concerns, though chemically distinct from restricted phthalate esters. The phthalate association creates significant regulatory and marketing risk; EU REACH and consumer advocacy groups increasingly scrutinize all phthalate-related substances. Potential metabolic hydrolysis to phthalic acid raises theoretical concern. Not recommended for consumer-facing formulations without robust safety dossier justification. Consider alternative buffers such as citrate or lactate systems. The EU classifies Potassium Biphthalate as "prohibited". Safety rating: MODERATE.

Is Potassium Biphthalate allowed in the EU?

Potassium Biphthalate EU regulatory status: prohibited. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.

What does Potassium Biphthalate do in cosmetics?

Potassium Biphthalate functions as: Buffering agent, pH adjuster, primary pH standard. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 877-24-7.

What is the Margin of Safety for Potassium Biphthalate?

not established The Margin of Safety (MoS) is calculated using SCCS methodology. A MoS above 100 is generally considered safe. Use the MoS Calculator tool to calculate MoS for your specific formulation and product category.

๐Ÿ“ฑ

Is Potassium Biphthalate in Your Products?

Scan any product label with Piro โ€” our free ingredient scanner. Point your camera at the ingredients list and get instant safety scores for every ingredient.

Try Piro Free โ†’

Analyze Your Full Ingredient List

Paste any INCI list into the Decoder for instant safety analysis, or calculate the Margin of Safety for Potassium Biphthalate in your formulation.