The Toxicity of Nylon
November 10, 2020, Adapted from an article written by Debra Lynn Dadd
Nylon is a family of plastics made from petroleum. It is a silky material that can be melted into fibers, films, and shapes. It’s been called “the most useful synthetic material” because of it’s versatility.
Nylon polymers are theoretically unreactive and not considered particularly harmful, However, some people who are sensitive to materials made from petroleum may react to nylon.
For myself, I minimize my use of nylon because I prefer natural materials rather than manmade synthetic materials just as a general rule. I use nylon only when it's the best possible material for the function and there isn't a natural alternative, such as I have an old nylon raincoat and a nylon swimsuit. And there are probably bits and pieces made of nylon in various products I own. But it's not a material that I watch out for and avoid completely, it's just not my first choice.
Health Effects
Nylon fabric isn’t on any lists of chemicals of concern that I am aware of but the government of Canada has evaluated nylon 6,6 because it is also used in cosmetics, and classified it as a “medium human health priority”; it is also on the Environment Canada Domestic Substance List. Another study found that some of the chemicals in nylon kitchen utensils migrated into food, however, you would need to use the utensil for 100 hours before enough would leach to begin to be a problem.
That said, nylon is a whole family of materials that may have additives, finishes, and other chemicals added. Generally, however, any nylon is listed on a label simply as "nylon," regardless of any other added substances. This makes it difficult to assess nylon’s toxicity.
CAUTION: ‘WATERPROOF' NYLON
Nylon is frequently used for products that need to be waterproof, such as a rain jacket. Nylon itself is not waterproof, it is simply the base material. If the nylon product you are considering is labeled “waterproof” you need to find out the type of waterproofing used before you can evaluate the toxicity of the item.
Uses of Nylon
Nylon polymers can be mixed with many different additives to create a wide variation of properties.
Nylon polymers are widely used to make fabric and fibers (apparel, flooring and rubber reinforcement), in shapes (molded parts for cars, electrical equipment, etc.), and in films (mostly for food packaging).
Nylon was the first commercially successful synthetic thermoplastic polymer. DuPont began its research project in 1927. The first example of nylon (nylon 6,6) was produced using diamines on February 28, 1935, by Wallace Hume Carothers at DuPont's research facility at the DuPont Experimental Station. In response to Carothers' work, Paul Schlack at IG Farben developed nylon 6, a different molecule based on caprolactam, on January 29, 1938.
Nylon was first used commercially in a nylon-bristled toothbrush in 1938, followed more famously in women's stockings or "nylons" which were shown at the 1939 New York World's Fair and first sold commercially in 1940.
Sources:
If you like this article please share it!
©NonToxU LLC, 2020. All rights reserved.