Methyl paraben (methyl 4-hydroxybenzoate) (ring-¹³C₆, 99%) 1 mg/mL in methanol
Item No.CLM-8249-1.2
Parabens
Parabens are a class of 4-hydroxybenzoate alkyl esters that are commonly used as preservatives in the cosmetic, pharmaceutical, and food industries due to their bactericidal and fungicidal properties. The most common parabens used as preservative additives are methyl-, ethyl-, propyl-, and butylparaben. Many products will contain more than one paraben at the 0.01-0.3% additive range to guard against a wide variety of microorganisms.1 While parabens are not known to persist in the environment, human exposure occurs mainly through dermal absorption during application of a paraben-containing personal care product or through ingestion of food and beverages containing paraben additives.2 The major metabolite of parabens in humans and animals alike is 4-hydroxybenzoic acid.3
Although studies have shown that parabens are safe for use at low levels, there is growing concern for the estrogen-like behavior of these compounds and their metabolites.3,4 It has been observed that the estrogenic activity of parabens increases with alkyl chain length, though studies have shown that the activity level of estrogen-mimicking parabens is several orders of magnitude less than that of estrogen itself.5,6 The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not currently regulate paraben levels, but many consumers and companies are seeking paraben-free products due to public concern of endocrine-disrupting activity.1
To assist researchers testing for parabens, CIL has manufactured 13C-labeled and unlabeled standards of the most commonly used methyl-, ethyl-, propyl-, and butylparabens. As growing concern over these compounds due to potential endocrine disrupting activity becomes apparent, CIL is also developing isopropyl-, isobutyl-, and benzylparaben standards to provide a full suite of analytical standards to assist researchers.
Parabens
Related Products
𝑛-Butyl paraben (𝑛-butyl 4-hydroxybenzoate) (ring-¹³C₆, 99%) 1 mg/mL in methanol
Item No.CLM-8285-1.2
Ethyl paraben (ethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate) (ring-¹³C₆, 99%) 1 mg/mL in methanol
Item No.CLM-9761-1.2
Benzyl paraben (benzyl 4-hydroxybenzoate) (ring-¹³C₆, 99%) 1 mg/mL in methanol
Item No.CLM-9849-1.2
Methyl paraben (methyl 4-hydroxybenzoate) (unlabeled) 1 mg/mL in methanol
Item No.ULM-8250-1.2
𝑛-Butyl paraben (𝑛-butyl 4-hydroxybenzoate) (unlabeled) 1 mg/mL in methanol
Item No.ULM-8287-1.2
Ethyl paraben (ethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate) (unlabeled) 1 mg/mL in methanol
Item No.ULM-9760-1.2
𝑛-Propyl paraben (𝑛-propyl 4-hydroxybenzoate) (unlabeled) 1 mg/mL in methanol
Item No.ULM-9762-1.2
Isopropyl paraben (isopropyl 4-hydroxybenzoate) (unlabeled) 1 mg/mL in methanol
Item No.ULM-9846-1.2
The Standard – April 2016
References
1. Parabens. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Read more.
2. Parabens Biomonitoring Summary. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Read more.
3. Xue, J.; Sasaki, N.; Elangovan, M.; et al. 2015. Elevated accumulation of parabens and their metabolites in marine mammals from the United States coastal waters. Environ Sci Technol, 49(20), 12071-12079. PMID: 26379094
4. Soni, M.G.; Carabin, I.G.; Burdock, G.A. 2005. Safety assessment of esters of p-hydroxybenzoic acid (parabens). Food Chem Toxicol, 43(7), 985-1015. PMID: 15833376
5. Cashman, A.L.; Warshaw, E.M. 2005. Parabens: A review of epidemiology, structure, allergenicity, and hormonal properties. Dermatitis, 16(2), 57-66. PMID: 16036114
6. Golden, R.; Gandy, J.; Vollmer. G. 2005. A review of the endocrine activity of parabens and implications for potential risks to human health. Crit Rev Toxicol, 35(5), 435-58. PMID: 16097138