Chemical Name: Sodium Lauryl Ether Sulfate
Common Name: SLES
Main Application: Raw material for detergents, cleaners, and personal care products. Our clients use this in shampoos, bath products, liquid soaps, and household cleaning formulas. Over two decades, this raw material has become a staple for manufacturing surfactants.
Main Hazards: Skin and eye irritation. In factory handling, powdered and liquid forms tend to cause irritation after extended exposure. Prolonged inhalation of dusts rarely occurs but can cause temporary breathing discomfort. Risks to end users diminish after dilution in finished goods.
GHS Classification: Eye Irritant, Skin Irritant
Pictogram: Exclamation mark for irritant
Signal Word: Warning
Active Substance: Sodium Lauryl Ether Sulfate (chemical mixture of sodium alkyl ether sulfate with varying ethoxylation, often C12-C14 carbon chain)
Typical Concentration: 28-70% depending on product grade
Impurities: Less than 1% by mass unreacted alcohols, trace 1,4-dioxane and ethylene oxide residues in some production lots
Eye Contact: Immediately rinse thoroughly with plenty of clean water for fifteen minutes. Factory operators keep emergency eye-wash stations near drum filling.
Skin Contact: Wash exposed skin with soap and water, remove contaminated clothing to reduce ongoing contact.
Inhalation: Remove to fresh air in poorly ventilated loading areas. Dust is rarely present, but liquid aerosols can still cause nose irritation.
Ingestion: Rinse mouth with water. Large accidental ingestion during operations: seek medical support, attention to possible gastric upset.
Suitable Extinguishing Media: Water spray, foam, carbon dioxide. SLES itself does not burn easily, but drum pallets or packaging can feed flames.
Hazardous Combustion Byproducts: Sulfur oxides, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide in significant fires. PPE for responders should include breathing apparatus.
Precautions: Cool drums near fire with water spray. Prevent runoff from fire control water from entering drains due to risk of foaming and contamination.
Spill Response: Contain product with sand, earth, or other inert absorbent. Wash small liquid amounts down with large volumes of water only if regulations approve.
Personal Protection: Wear chemical resistant gloves and safety goggles. Prevent skin and eye contact by prompt containment and clean up.
Environmental Precaution: Do not allow concentrated product to reach water courses or sewage systems. Plant procedure teams must monitor effluent regulations.
Handling Practices: Avoid skin and eye contact by wearing protective equipment during drum filling, transfer, and repacking. Minimize formation of splashes during pumping, and provide local exhaust if high volume aerosols may form.
Storage Conditions: Store in closed containers between 5°C and 40°C, in well-ventilated facilities. Protect from freezing and excessive heat which both trigger degradation. Materials of construction: HDPE, stainless steel. No storage near acids, strong oxidizers, or foodstuffs.
Exposure Limits: No established occupational exposure limit for SLES itself. We recommend limiting personnel exposure with engineering controls and good hygiene practices.
Engineering Controls: Local exhaust ventilation in drum decanting, bulk truck unloading, and mixing zones.
Personal Protective Equipment: Nitrile rubber gloves, safety goggles, and long sleeve clothing. Respirators occasionally during cleaning and maintenance if aerosols are present.
Hygiene Measures: Wash hands and arms thoroughly after handling, before eating or smoking.
Appearance: Viscous liquid or powder (depending on grade)
Color: Colorless to light yellow
Odor: Mild, typically non-offensive
pH (10% solution): 7 to 9.5
Solubility: Easily soluble in water, moderate foaming in solution
Boiling Point: Above 100°C (primarily determined by water content)
Density: 1.04–1.08 g/cm³ (at 20 °C for 70% solution)
Chemical Stability: Stable under normal factory conditions. May hydrolyze in strong acid or alkali environments yielding ethanol and sodium sulfate.
Conditions to Avoid: Extreme heat, strong acids, strong oxidizers, freezing. Unsealed containers often absorb moisture.
Hazardous Decomposition: Sulfur dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, ethylene oxide decomposition products in rare high-temperature fires.
Acute Toxicity: Low toxicity by oral, dermal, or inhalation routes in animal studies. Most issues arise from irritation — not systemic toxicity.
Eye Irritation: Moderate to severe, depending on concentration and exposure time.
Skin Irritation: Irritation from concentrated solutions or prolonged exposure.
Chronic Effects: Prolonged occupational exposure may lead to skin dryness, cracking. No evidence of carcinogenicity or reproductive toxicity.
Aquatic Toxicity: Harmful to aquatic organisms in concentrated form. Diluted waste streams degrade quickly under typical aerobic conditions, but acute spills to surface waters must be avoided.
Biodegradability: More than 90% biodegradable, typical in standard industry test conditions (OECD guidelines).
Bioaccumulation: Unlikely due to molecule's structure and rapid breakdown.
Waste Disposal Methods: Treat as industrial chemical waste. Disposal in accordance with local, regional, and national regulations. Never discharge concentrated waste directly into water sources.
Soiled Packaging: Rinse empty drums with water; treat rinsate as chemical waste.
UN Number: Not classified as dangerous goods under most land and maritime transport codes.
Packing Group: Not applicable for standard packaging.
Transport Conditions: Ship upright, properly labelled, sealed drums resistant to corrosion. Avoid extremes of temperature and mechanical shock during loading and unloading operations.
Chemical Inventories: Listed in China IECSC, US TSCA, and EU REACH registered. Product batches from our workshops meet purity and traceability guidelines.
Label Requirements: Irritant pictogram, warning phrases, emergency procedures as set out by chemical safety regulations in user locales.
Worker Safety: Regular training and access to appropriate PPE as mandated under local and international occupational health standards.
