The Disgusting Chemicals in Vaccines: polysorbate 80

In case you missed the last to installments to this series, you can find the article about cows here and about chickens here.

Polysorbate 80, also known as Tween™ 80, is made from sorbitol and the plant-based fatty acid, oleic acid. It is found in many products, from beverages to personal care products, especially lotions. It is also a solubilizer. For example, as a solubilizer in mouthwash, it helps dissolve ingredients so that they can more easily blend together. Polysorbate 80 is an emulsifier or defoamer in foods, making them creamy and smooth. It is used in vitamins, medicines, and vaccines to stabilize the ingredients and lengthen the shelf life.

There are at least 9 forms of polysorbate, the most common types are 20, 40, 60, 65, and 80, with the number representing the fatty acid associated with the polyoxy-ethylene sorbitan component of the molecule. The fatty acids are lauric (C14), palmitic (C16), stearic (C18:0), and oleic (C18:1). The lower numbers are more hydrophilic, while higher ones have higher lipophilic properties.

Polysorbate 20 shares the role with polysorbate 80, with both compounds serving as effective emulsifiers for skincare products. The difference is that polysorbate 20 is less common and is generally used to mix lighter liquids, while polysorbate 80 excels in mixing denser liquids. Despite these differences, polysorbate 20 remains a common choice for several manufacturers.

One of the primary concerns people have regarding polysorbate 80 is its toxic contamination from ethylene oxide and the by-product 1,4-dioxane, both are known carcinogens. Chemicals used as ingredients that have been treated with ethylene oxide (ethoxylated) become contaminated with 1,4-dioxane knows to cause cancer in animals and has been classified as a probable human carcinogen. It is 1,4-dioxane that can also trigger of skin allergies from lotions and cosmetics.

In 2008, the Organic Consumers Organization released a fact sheet on 1,4-dioxane, using information from the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics which I was not able to find.  The OCO report apparently listed the levels of 1,4-dioxane found in many beauty products and some were 1,000 times higher than those which caused cancer in studies on animals. Instead I found this useful information. Search product labels for ingredients with the following in their names that have been used to de-identify a product that contains 1,4-Dioxane: myreth, oleth, laureth, ceteareth, any other eth, PEG, polyethylene, polyethylene glycol, polyoxyethylene, or oxynol.