Database/Buffering/Ammonium Glycolate
Route-dependent · ISO 16128

Is Ammonium Glycolate natural?

It depends. The value follows the glycolic acid: 0.81 when the acid is sugar-derived, zero when it is synthetic; the ammonium half is petrochemical either way.

INCI nameAmmonium Glycolate
CAS35249-89-9
FormulaC2H7NO3 · 93.08 Da
FunctionBuffering · Keratolytic
FeedstockGlycolic acid (sugar-derived or petrochemical) neutralised with ammonia.

Why the score varies

This ingredient is made commercially by more than one route, and ISO 16128 scores the feedstock actually used. Without a supplier certificate of origin the value cannot be claimed.

RouteFeedstockNOIShareNotes
natural glycolic acidglycolic acid from sugar cane or fermentation, neutralised with ammonia0.81minority (natural-labelled grades)glycolate C2H3O3 75.0 Da natural; NH4 18.0 Da from synthetic ammonia is petrochemical; 75.0/93.1 = 0.81
synthetic glycolic acidglycolic acid from chloroacetic acid or formaldehyde carbonylation (petrochemical), neutralised with ammonia0.00majorityno natural-origin atoms
Ask your supplier. A batch-specific certificate of origin or bio-based carbon test (ASTM D6866) settles which route applies.

How we scored it

Glycolic acid is route-dependent on this site. Ammonium glycolate 93.1 Da = glycolate 75.0 Da + NH4 18.0 Da (synthetic ammonia, petrochemical by convention). Natural-acid route 75.0/93.1 = 0.81; synthetic-acid route 0.0.
What counts. ISO 16128-2 scores the atoms that remain in the final ingredient. Reagents, solvents, catalysts and protecting groups used during manufacture leave no mass behind and are not counted.

Where it comes from

Glycolic acid (sugar-derived or petrochemical) neutralised with ammonia.

In plain English

The ammonium salt of glycolic acid, used as a buffering and mild exfoliating agent. Both the ammonium and glycolic acid components are typically manufactured from petrochemical feedstocks.

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Structure

2D structure of Ammonium Glycolate

azanium 2-hydroxyacetate

PubChem CID 169677 ↗

References

  1. 1ISO 16128-1:2016 and ISO 16128-2:2017 — Guidelines on technical definitions and criteria for natural and organic cosmetic ingredients and products. ISO, Geneva.
  2. 2Ammonium Glycolate. PubChem CID 169677. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3AMMONIUM GLYCOLATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4AMMONIUM GLYCOLATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=AMMONIUM%20GLYCOLATE