Polyacrylic acid, also known as Carbomer, is used extensively in formulations across many industries, including cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and personal care. Carbomers are polymers of acrylic acid cross-linked with allyl ethers of pentaerythritol or sucrose forming white, lightweight polymers that can absorb an outstanding amount of moisture. In the pharmaceutical world carbomers are frequently used to modify liquids and gels. Improving the texture of a product is another valuable property of carbomers which help to produce gels and lotions with a silky-smooth feeling during application. It is important to identify the presence of benzene, and verify product quality to protect manufacturers' reputation, and consumer health.
This application note reports the results from the analysis of benzene according to the requirements of USP Grade Carbomer 940 performed with the PerkinElmer GC 2400™ System to support manufacturers’ quality control processes.