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Gateway on Pesticide Hazards and Safe Pest Management
Triclosan
Updated February 2019
General Information
- Fact Sheet: triclosan-factsheet-3-09.pdf
- Product Names:
- Chemical Class: Chlorinated phenol biocide
- Uses: Synthetic broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent in Consumer products, soaps, deodorants, plastics, toothpastes, etc.
- Beyond Pesticides rating: Toxic
Health and Environmental Effects
- Cancer: Suggestive Evidence (57, 63)
- Endocrine Disruption: Yes (7)
- Reproductive Effects: Suggestive Evidence (64, 65)
- Neurotoxicity: Suggestive Evidence (58)
- Kidney/Liver Damage: Not documented
- Sensitizer/ Irritant: Yes (7)
- Birth/Developmental: Suggestive Evidence (58, 59)
- Detected in Groundwater: Yes (60, 61)
- Potential Leacher: Not documented
- Toxic to Birds: Not documented
- Toxic to Fish/Aquatic Organisms: Yes (7, 62)
- Toxic to Bees: Not documented
Additional Information
- Regulatory Status:
- FDA Ban for Medical Use in Hospitals (12/2017)
- FDA Ban in Soap Products (9/2016)
- EU Ban for Hygienic Uses (6/2015)
- Regulatory History (2005-2010)
- Supporting information:
- Antibacterials Program Page (Beyond Pesticides)
- Threatened Waters (Beyond Pesticides)
- PAN Pesticides Database: Triclosan (Pesticide Action Network)
- Scorecard Triclosan Factsheet (The Pollution Information Site)
- Studies:
- Antibiotics and common antibacterial biocides stimulate horizontal transfer of resistance at low concentrations.. Jutkina, J., Marathe, N.P., Flach, C.F. and Larsson, D.G.J., 2018. Science of the total Environment, 616, pp.172-178.
- Association between urinary triclosan with bone mass density and osteoporosis in the US adult women, 2005-2010.. Cai, S., Zhu, J., Sun, L., Fan, C., Zhong, Y., Shen, Q. and Li, Y., 2019. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
- Diamondback terrapins as indicator species of persistent organic pollutants: Using Barnegat Bay, New Jersey as a case study. Basile ER, Avery HW, Bien WF, Keller JM. 2011. Chemosphere. 82(1):137-44
- Environmental concentrations of triclosan activate cellular defence mechanism and generate cytotoxicity on zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos.. Parenti, CC et al. 2018. Science of the Total Environment 650 (2019): 1752-1758.
- Environmental levels of triclosan and male fertility.. Jurewicz, J et al. 2017. Environmental Science and Pollution Research 25(6), 5484-5490.
