Detailed Product Description:

A white powder with an acrid taste.  Stable in air but gradually

discolored by light.  Soluble in acetone, turpentine, alcohol,

ether, and benzene.  Only slightly soluble in water.  Combustible.

Grade/Purity:

This is Reagent Grade material with a purity level of at least 99%.

Background:

Salicylic acid (from the Latin word “Salix,” the name of the willow

tree from whose bark it is obtained) is a beta hydroxyl acid (BHA).

This colorless, crystalline organic acid is widely used in organic

synthesis and functions as a plant hormone.  It is derived from the

metabolism of salicin.  It is probably best known as a compound

that is chemically similar but not identical to the active component

of aspirin.  Indeed, salicylic acid is a metabolite of aspirin, the

product of esterase hydrolysis in the liver.

Salicylic acid is a phytohormone, and a phenol, ubiquitous in plants

generating a significant impact on plant growth and development,

photosynthesis, transpiration, ion uptake and transport and also

induces specific changes in leaf anatomy and chloroplast structure.  

Uses & Application Notes:

Also known as 2-hydroxybenzoic acid, one of several beta hydroxy acids,

salicylic acid is a key ingredient in many skin-care products for the

treatment of acne, psoriasis, calluses, keratoses pilaris, and warts.  It

works by causing the cells of the epidermis to slough off more readily,

preventing pores from clogging up, and allowing room for new cell

growth.  Because of its effect on skin cells, salicylic acid is used in

several shampoos used to treat dandruff.  Salicylic acid is also used

as an active ingredient in gels which remove warts.  Use of concentrated

solutions of salicylic acid may cause hyperpigmentation on un-pretreated

skin for those with darker skin types, as well as with the lack of use of a

broad spectrum sunblock.  The medicinal properties of salicylate, mainly

for fever relief, have been known for centuries, and it was used as an

anti-inflammatory drug.

Cotton pads soaked in salicylic acid can be used to chemically exfoliate

skin.  Subsalicylate in combination with bismuth forms the popular

stomach relief aid known commonly as Pepto-Bismol.  When combined,

the two key ingredients help control diarrhea, nausea, heartburn, and

gas.  It is also a very mild antibiotic.

Industrial/Scientific Uses:

Sodium salicylate is a useful phosphor in the vacuum ultraviolet with

nearly flat quantum efficiency for wavelengths between 10 to 100 nm.

It fluoresces in the blue at 420 nm.  It is easily prepared on a clean

surface by spraying a saturated solution of the salt in methanol followed

by evaporation.

Precautions:

Although toxic in large quantities, salicylic acid is used as a food

preservative and as an antiseptic in toothpaste.  For some people

with salicylate sensitivity, even these small doses can be harmful.

Salicylic acid has an ototoxic effect and can induce transient hearing

loss in zinc-deficient individuals.

Salicylic acid is toxic in large amounts.  Pregnant women are advised

not to use products containing salicylic acid due to the danger of Reye’s

syndrome. 

The FDA recommends the use of sun protection when using skincare

products containing salicylic acid (or any other BHA) on sun-exposed

skin areas.

This can be a strong irritant to skin and mucous membranes.  Download,

read, and understand the MSDS before using this substance.

                Click here to download MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet)

Packaging:

Contents of 150 grams comes packed in 250 ml wide-mouthed HDPE Nalgene bottle.