Is ZINC safe in cosmetics?
ZINC has a safety rating of "GOOD" in our database. EU status: permitted. 1 toxicological study endpoint(s) are available in our database.
ZINC
Also known as: Zn, EINECS 231-175-3, Emanay zinc dust, Granular zinc, UNII-J41CSQ7QDS (+11 more)
ZINC (CAS 7440-66-6) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as Antioxidant. Reported NOAEL =31.52 mg/kg bw/day in Rat (ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID); EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: permitted; GHS signal word DANGER. Industrial safety data is also available in the chemical safety database. Same-CAS public records also appear in industrial chemical safety and pharmaceutical data.
View industrial chemical safety profile for CAS 7440-66-6 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Cross-Vertical Regulatory Divergence
ZINC is classified GHS Danger (H250, H260, H400, H410, H320) in the chemicals database but is allowed in EU cosmetics.
Source: Cosmetics: ingredients.eu_status; Chemicals: ghs_classifications.signal_word/hazard_statement_code
Function
Antioxidant
Safety Rating
GOOD
Chemistry & Identifiers
IUPAC Name
zinc
InChIKey
HCHKCACWOHOZIP-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
US US Status
Not specifically regulated
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Toxicological Studies
1 study endpoint found for ZINC. NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) values are used to calculate the Margin of Safety per SCCS methodology.
| Endpoint | Value | Route | Species | Study Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NOAEL | =31.52 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Rat | subchronic | ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID |
GHS Hazard Classification
Globally Harmonized System classification per ECHA C&L inventory and ILO/WHO International Chemical Safety Cards.
Signal Word
DANGER
Pictograms
FlamFlameEnviroAqua
Hazard Statements
Catches fire spontaneously if exposed to air In contact with water releases flammable gases which may ignite spontaneously Very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects
Short-term Exposure Effects
May cause mechanical irritation to the eyes and respiratory tract. Inhalation of the respirable fraction may cause metal fume fever. This may result in influenza-like symptoms. The effects may be delayed up to 48 hours.
Long-term Exposure Effects
Repeated or prolonged contact with skin may cause dermatitis. Repeated or prolonged inhalation may cause effects on the lungs. This may result in reduced lung function .
Routes of Exposure
The substance can be absorbed into the body by inhalation.
EPA ToxValDB — Toxicity Values
10 toxicity values from EPA ToxValDB (aggregated from CCTE, HPV, ToxRefDB, IRIS, and other regulatory dossiers).
| Endpoint | Value | Species | Route | Duration | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LC50 | >5410 mg/m3 | Rat | inhalation | - | ECHA IUCLID |
| LD50 | >2000 mg/kg | Rat | oral | - | ECHA IUCLID |
| LOAEC | =0.55 mg/m3 | Rat | inhalation | short-term | ECHA IUCLID |
| LOAEC | =4.45 mg/m3 | Rat | inhalation | subchronic | ECHA IUCLID |
| NOAEC | =1.48 mg/m3 | Rat | inhalation | subchronic | ECHA IUCLID |
| NOAEC | =1.96 mg/m3 | Rat | inhalation | short-term | ECHA IUCLID |
| NOAEC | =0.47 mg/m3 | Rat | inhalation | short-term | ECHA IUCLID |
| RfD | =0.3 mg/kg-day | Human | oral | - | OW Drinking Water Standards |
| NOAEL | =31.52 mg/kg-day | Rat | oral | subchronic | ECHA IUCLID |
| NOEL | =200 ppm | Mouse | oral | short-term | ECOTOX |
EU CLP Annex VI Harmonized Classification
Legally binding harmonized classification per Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 (CLP) Annex VI.
Signal Word
Danger
Pictograms
FlammableEnvironmental Hazard
Hazard Class and Category
Pyr. Sol. 1; Water-react. 1; Aquatic Acute 1; Aquatic Chronic 1
Hazard Statements
- H250
- H260 In contact with water releases flammable gases which may ignite spontaneously
- H400 Very toxic to aquatic life
- H410 Very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects
Inserted via ATP: CLP00
ECHA REACH Registration
European Chemicals Agency REACH dossier and Substances of Very High Concern listing.
Registration Type
Full
Tonnage Band
1,000,000 - 10,000,000 tonnes
Substance Type
SUBSTANCE
SVHC Candidate
No
Hazard classification: Restricted (Annex XVII)
PubChem Annotations
Safety and regulatory annotations from PubChem (NCBI) aggregated sources.
Safety (4)
Carcinogen Classification
Dietary Zinc | TR-592: Toxicology and Carcinogenesis Study of Dietary Zinc (CASRN 5263-02-5) in Sprague Dawley Rats (Hsd:Sprague Dawley SD) (Feed Studies) (2019 ) | 07/13/17 | Equivocal Evidence | No Evidence | Under the conditions of this 2-year dietary study, there was equivocal evidence of carcinogenic activity (see a summary of the Peer Review Panel comments in Appendix I) of diets defici
Source: NTP Technical Reports
Evidence for Carcinogenicity
Cancer Classification: Group D Not Classifiable as to Human Carcinogenicity | CLASSIFICATION: D; not classifiable as to human carcinogenicity. BASIS FOR CLASSIFICATION: No human data and no animal data. HUMAN CARCINOGENICITY DATA: None. ANIMAL CARCINOGENICITY DATA: None.
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
ICSC Safety Card
1205
Source: ILO-WHO International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs)
Skin Eye Respiratory Irritation
A human skin irritant.
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Regulatory (1)
JECFA Evaluation
ZINC | 1982 | Zinc is an essential element in the nutrition of man and animals. Studies with experimental animals have shown that high levels of dietary zinc can cause anaemia as well as decreased levels of copper and iron absorption, and reduction in the activities of several important enzymes in various tissues. These effects also occur at lower levels of dietary zinc when the diet is deficient
Source: Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Antioxidant
Catalyst
Corrosion inhibitor
Degradant/impurity
Heat stabilizer
No specific technical function
Pigment
Plating agent
Processing aids not otherwise specified
Surface modifier
Regulatory List Membership (1)
FDA Indirect Food Contact Additives
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for ZINC.
Regulatory Flags
cosing-sourced
eu-permitted
antioxidant
needs-enrichment
endocrine_disruptor
NOAEL Studies Summary
View details ->Public NOAEL study rows linked to ZINC by CAS number or substance name.
Studies
46
Lowest NOAEL
5 mg/kg bw/day
Highest NOAEL
400 mg/kg bw/day
ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID
ECHA_REACH_reach_study_results_dossiers_23-05-2023.zip
Known Synonyms
Zn
EINECS 231-175-3
Emanay zinc dust
Granular zinc
UNII-J41CSQ7QDS
Zincum metallicum
30Zn
Zink
Zn(II)
Zn2+
cinc
zincum
zinc atom
Zn(0)
Znn
zinc(0)
Chemical Function
Antioxidant
Regulatory Lists
active_ingredient; Pesticides
pharmaceutical
Indirect additives food contact (10/2018)
active_ingredient; Europe; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
Europe; supplements
detected; emissions; Europe; Other indirect contact consumer goods; water
detected; Europe; Other direct contact consumer goods
detected; Europe; Other direct contact consumer goods
detected; Europe; Other direct contact consumer goods
Australian Status
AICIS status: listed
Cross-Vertical Safety Context
Same-CAS public records found in pharmaceutical data.
SOURCE
ChEMBL / DrugCentral / FAERS
DB_PHARMA CAS match
Pharmaceutical Data
Same-CAS rows from the pharmaceutical spoke database.
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL1201279
Adverse Event Associations
3824
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ZINC allowed in the EU?
ZINC EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does ZINC do in cosmetics?
ZINC functions as: Antioxidant. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 7440-66-6.
What is the NOAEL for ZINC?
The NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) for ZINC is =31.52 mg/kg bw/day based on a subchronic study via oral route in Rat. Source: ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID.
Is ZINC classified as hazardous under GHS?
ZINC carries a GHS signal word of "DANGER". Hazard statements: Catches fire spontaneously if exposed to air In contact with water releases flammable gases which may ignite spontaneously Very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects. This classification is based on the ILO/WHO International Chemical Safety Card and ECHA C&L inventory data. Note: GHS classification applies to the pure substance — at cosmetic use concentrations, hazard thresholds may not be met.
Is ZINC used outside cosmetics?
ZINC also appears in industrial chemical safety and pharmaceutical data. The cross-vertical cards on this page render same-CAS public rows from the matched databases.
Does ZINC have different safety status in cosmetics vs industrial chemicals?
ZINC is classified GHS Danger (H250, H260, H400, H410, H320) in the chemicals database but is allowed in EU cosmetics.
Compliance Tools
Check ZINC compliance across multiple jurisdictions:
Ingredient Decoder
Paste a full ingredient list for instant analysis
82 Allergen Checker
Check for EU declarable fragrance allergens
Substance Compliance
Check compliance across multiple jurisdictions
MoS Calculator
Calculate Margin of Safety using SCCS methodology
Heavy Metal Limits
Compare limits across jurisdictions
Related Ingredients
2-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Excellent
Same category
Softener and conditioner
3-Glyceryl Ascorbate
Excellent
Same category
Antioxidant, Humectant, Skin Conditio...
Allantoin Ascorbate
Excellent
Same category
Antioxidant, Skin Conditioning, Skin ...
Aloe Vera Extract
Excellent
Same category
Skin Conditioning, Antioxidant
Althaea Officinalis Callus Culture Extract
Excellent
Same category
Antioxidant, skin protectant
Amaranthus Caudatus Seed Oil
Excellent
Same category
Emollient, skin conditioning, antioxi...
(ANGELICA ACUTILOBA/PAEONIA LACTIFLORA/REHMANNIA GLUTINOSA) ROOT/CNIDIUM OFFICINALE RHIZOME EXTRACT
Good
Similar safety
Skin Conditioning, Skin Conditioning ...
(ANGELICA ACUTILOBA/PAEONIA LACTIFLORA/REHMANNIA GLUTINOSA/SCUTELLARIA BAICALENSIS) ROOT/(CNIDIUM OFFICINALE/COPTIS CHINENSIS) RHIZOME/GARDENIA JASMINOIDES FRUIT/PHELLODENDRON CHINENSE BARK EXTRACT
Good
Similar safety
(ANGELICA GIGAS/GLYCYRRHIZA URALENSIS/REHMANNIA GLUTINOSA ROOT)/ANGELICA GIGAS STEM/CARTHAMUS TINCTORIUS FLOWER/(CARTHAMUS TINCTORIUS/PRUNUS PERSICA SEED)PORIA COCOS WATER
Good
Similar safety
Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Pr...
(ARCTIUM LAPPA/CARROT/COLOCASIA ESCULENTA/DIOSCOREA BATATAS/GARLIC/GINGER/IPOMOEA BATATAS/NELUMBO NUCIFERA/ONION/POTATO BULBS)/(CHESTNUT/CITRUS UNSHIU/EGGPLANT/FIG/GRAPE/KIWI/LYCOPERSICON ESCULENTUM/MALUS PUMILA/MUME/PEACH/PLUM/PUMPKIN/PYRUS SEROTINA/RADISH/ZIZIPHUS JUJUBA FRUIT)/(ALLIUM TUBEROSUM/ALOE BARBADENSIS/ANGELICA UTILIS/BRASSICA OLERACEA ACEPHALA/CABBAGE/CELERY/SACCHARINA JAPONICA/UNDARIA PINNATIFIDA LEAF)/(ALLIUM FISTULOSUM/ENTEROMORPHA COMPRESSA/OENANTHE JAVANICA STALK)/LENTINULA EDODES/SUCROSE FERMENT FILTRATE
Good
Similar safety
Humectant, Skin Conditioning - Humect...
(ASPERGILLUS/SACCHAROMYCES)/RICE FERMENT/BARLEY GRAIN MEAL/NELUMBO NUCIFERA FLOWER EXTRACT FERMENT EXTRACT FILTRATE
Good
Similar safety
Bleaching
(ASTRAGALUS MEMBRANACEUS/GLYCYRRHIZA URALENSIS (LICORICE)/PANAX GINSENG) ROOT/AMOMUM XANTHIOIDES SEED/HORDEUM VULGARE SPROUT/ARALIA CORDATA/ACHYRANTHES JAPONICA EXTRACT
Good
Similar safety
Skin Conditioning - Miscellaneous
Activated Charcoal
Excellent
Chemical family
Adsorbent; skin cleanser; pore-cleans...
Activated Charcoal (Charcoal Powder)
Good
Chemical family
Absorbent / Detoxifying agent
Argon
Excellent
Chemical family
Antioxidant (inert gas blanket to pre...
Is ZINC in Your Products?
Scan any product label with Piro — our free ingredient scanner. Point your camera at the ingredients list and get instant safety scores for every ingredient.
Try Piro Free →Analyze Your Full Ingredient List
Paste any INCI list into the Decoder for instant safety analysis, or calculate the Margin of Safety for ZINC in your formulation.