Polyacrylamide is used as a stabilizer and binder in lotions. Additional uses include as binding, thickening or flocculating agents in industrial applications.
Sources of Exposure: Personal care products, cosmetics; grout, cement, sewage/wastewater treatment; pesticides, sugar manufacturing, soil erosion prevention, ore processing, food packaging, plastic products, and paper production
Health Impacts: Polyacrylamide can break down into acrylamide, which is an accepted carcinogen that has been linked to mammary tumors. Acrylamide has been classified by the European Commission on the basis of carcinogenicity, genotoxicity and reproductive toxicity.