What does Sulfuric acid do?

Used in cosmetics as a pH buffer.

Is Sulfuric acid safe?

We haven't assessed a concern score for this ingredient yet. It is listed for cosmetic use in the EU.

beauty
cleaning
industrial
pharma

Sulfuric acid

CAS 12772-98-4

Also registered as 9 other CAS numbers

16628-81-2 · 31799-84-5 · 105975-41-5 · 114679-42-4 · 119540-51-1 · 127529-01-5 · 140623-70-7 · 1973539-23-9 · 7664-93-9

Concern score

Not assessed — no hazard data yet.

Sulfuric acid in plain language

What it is: Also known as Anhydrous sulfuric acid · Brimstone acid · Tetraoxosulfuric acid · Acide sulfurique · Acido solforico · Acidum sulfuricum
Show all 30 names
Battery acid · Contact acid · Dihydrogen sulphate · Dihydrogen sulfate · Dipping acid · E-513 · Electrolyte acid · H2SO4 · Hydrogen sulfate · Ins NO.513 · INS-513 · Mattling acid · Nordhausen acid · Schwefelsaeure · Schwefelsaeureloesungen · Sulphuric acid · Zwavelzuuroplossingen · acido sulfurico · sulfuric acid (sara iii) · sulfuric acid (sara 302/313) (cercla) · sulfuric acid (sara 302/313) (cercla) (electrolyte) · sulfuric acid (sara iii) (0.250 n in water) · Sulphuricum acidum · sulfuric acid (sara 302/313) (cercla) (1n solution)
What it does: Used in cosmetics as a pH buffer.
Buffering
pH adjuster
Fragrance
Flavouring
Cleaning agent
Is it a concern?: We haven't assessed a concern score for this ingredient yet. It is listed for cosmetic use in the EU.

Regulation

No restrictions found. Sulfuric acid appears in these published regulatory listings.

In marketed US drugs
Inactive ingredient in US drugs

Recorded in these product areas

Found in consumer products
Cleaning
Pharma
Industrial

USFDAinactive ingredient database28 entries — 15 administration routes
- Route: AURICULAR (OTIC); Dosage form: SUSPENSION; Potency: 0.02 %w/vSource →
- Route: ENDOTRACHEAL; Dosage form: INJECTION; Potency: ADJ PHSource →
- Route: EPIDURAL; Dosage form: INJECTION; Potency: ADJ PHSource →
- Route: EPIDURAL; Dosage form: INJECTION, SOLUTION; Potency: ADJ PHSource →
- Route: INTRAMUSCULAR; Dosage form: INJECTION; Potency: 566 mgSource →
- Route: INTRAMUSCULAR; Dosage form: INJECTION, SOLUTION; Maximum daily exposure: 315 mgSource →
- Route: INTRAMUSCULAR; Dosage form: SOLUTION; Potency: ADJ PHSource →
- Route: INTRAPERITONEAL; Dosage form: INJECTION; Potency: ADJ PHSource →
- Route: INTRATHECAL; Dosage form: INJECTION; Potency: ADJ PHSource →
- Route: INTRATHECAL; Dosage form: INJECTION, SOLUTION; Potency: ADJ PHSource →
- Route: INTRAVENOUS; Dosage form: INJECTION; Potency: 566 mgSource →
- Route: INTRAVENOUS; Dosage form: INJECTION, POWDER, FOR SOLUTION; Potency: ADJ PHSource →
- Route: INTRAVENOUS; Dosage form: INJECTION, POWDER, LYOPHILIZED, FOR SOLUTION; Potency: ADJ PHSource →
- Route: INTRAVENOUS; Dosage form: INJECTION, SOLUTION; Maximum daily exposure: 315 mgSource →
- Route: INTRAVENOUS; Dosage form: SOLUTION; Potency: ADJ PHSource →
- Route: IRRIGATION; Dosage form: INJECTION; Potency: ADJ PHSource →
- Route: IRRIGATION; Dosage form: SOLUTION; Potency: ADJ PHSource →
- Route: NASAL; Dosage form: SPRAY; Maximum daily exposure: 8 mgSource →
- Route: OPHTHALMIC; Dosage form: SOLUTION; Potency: 0.02 %w/wSource →
- Route: OPHTHALMIC; Dosage form: SOLUTION/ DROPS; Potency: ADJ PHSource →
- Route: OPHTHALMIC; Dosage form: SUSPENSION; Potency: ADJ PHSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: SOLUTION; Potency: ADJ PHSource →
- Route: PARENTERAL; Dosage form: INJECTION, POWDER, FOR SOLUTION; Potency: ADJ PHSource →
- Route: RESPIRATORY (INHALATION); Dosage form: CAPSULE; Maximum daily exposure: 78 mgSource →
- Route: RESPIRATORY (INHALATION); Dosage form: SOLUTION; Maximum daily exposure: 150 mgSource →
- Route: SUBCUTANEOUS; Dosage form: INJECTION; Potency: ADJ PHSource →
- Route: SUBCUTANEOUS; Dosage form: INJECTION, SOLUTION; Maximum daily exposure: 2 mgSource →
- Route: TOPICAL; Dosage form: CREAM; Potency: ADJ PHSource →
EUCosIngActiveListed in CosIng inventory for cosmetic use.
- Listed in CosIng inventory for cosmetic use.Source →
USEPAcommercial use observedEPA CPDat observed this chemical in 3213 composition records across product categories including Furniture and furnishings, Construction and building materials, Laboratory supplies. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including pH regulating agent, Fragrance, No specific technical function.
- EPA CPDat observed this chemical in 3213 composition records across product categories including Furniture and furnishings, Construction and building materials, Laboratory supplies. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including pH regulating agent, Fragrance, No specific technical function.Source →
USFDAmarketed drug occurrenceFDA NDC lists this ingredient in 61 active drug products and 66 total products.
- FDA NDC lists this ingredient in 61 active drug products and 66 total products.Source →
USFDAlisted in openFDA substanceopenFDA substance registry classifies this ingredient as chemical.
- openFDA substance registry classifies this ingredient as chemical.Source →

Expert safety opinions

No expert opinion on file for Sulfuric acid. These are the independent scientific bodies that assess ingredients like this one; we show an opinion only when a record we hold cites it.

SCCS
EU Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety
No SCCS opinion on file.
CIR
Cosmetic Ingredient Review (US expert panel)
No CIR safety assessment on file.

Evidence & sources

No graded research studies for Sulfuric acid yet. This record is compiled from the published data sources below — registries and regulatory listings, not study findings.

8 data sources

Where this comes from

CosIng
regulatory · updated 2026-09-23
Open →
EPA Chemical and Products Database
exposure · updated october 15, 2019
Open →
EPA DSSTox Identifiers
chemistry · updated 2025-12-29
Open →
FDA Inactive Ingredient Database
regulatory · updated 2026-01-09
Open →
FDA National Drug Code Directory
regulatory · updated 2031-01-05
Open →
FDA GSRS UNII
registry · updated 2026-02-26
Open →
openFDA Substance
registry · updated 2026-05-24
Open →
PubChem Live Enrichment
chemistry · updated 2026-05-17
Open →

Reference links (1)

Openfda substance

apps.who.int

Read →

Suitability

Context-specific fit derived from published classifications and the current ingredient evidence profile.

Fragrance avoidance

Not a strong fit for fragrance avoidance because it carries Fragrance.

Avoid

The ingredient itself is a fragrance-linked signal, so it is better treated as an avoid case when fragrance exposure is the main concern.

Where it has been recorded

How often EPA CPDat has listed Sulfuric acid in a product composition. These are source records, not Greenveil catalog products.

Source records

3,213

Named organisations

Furniture and furnishingsConstruction and building materialsLaboratory suppliesBatteriesCleaning and safetyManufacturing Components

Typical roles

BufferingpH adjusterFragranceFlavouringCleaning agent

See products using Sulfuric acid →

Catalog

Found in these products

Cosmetic and personal-care products that list Sulfuric acid are shown first. Their ingredient lists include Sulfuric acid; each product's own rating depends on its whole formula, so it is shown on the product page, not here.

See all 7 →Find products without it →