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Dodecanol (Lauryl Alcohol)

  • Alcohol solvents
  • CAS 112-53-8
  • IUPAC: Dodecan-1-ol

Dodecanol (Lauryl Alcohol) (CAS 112-53-8) appears in 1 of the 2,122 car-care products CarCareTruth tracks (as of August 2026). It is classified as a VOC.

Classified Eye Irrit. 2 (H319) at the component level; oral and dermal LD50 values (rat/rabbit) indicate low acute mammalian toxicity. Not Prop 65-listed, not an asthmagen, not a skin sensitizer. The primary hazard driver for a formula containing dodecanol is aquatic toxicity, not human health.

Dodecanol (lauryl alcohol) is a straight-chain C12 fatty alcohol used as a co-solvent and surfactant-precursor in aerosol and liquid formulations, including as a minor component of SONAX's CC36 BaseCoat carrier system (1-<3%). It is naturally derived from coconut or palm kernel oil (or produced synthetically from petrochemical feedstocks) and is a common building block for surfactants and emulsifiers elsewhere in personal-care and industrial chemistry.

At the SDS component level, dodecanol carries Eye Irrit. 2 (H319) and is classified Aquatic Acute 1 (H400, M-factor 1) plus Aquatic Chronic 2 (H411) — toxic to aquatic life with long-lasting effects. It is readily biodegradable (>60% per OECD 301D), which moderates long-term persistence concerns, but the acute aquatic classification is real and drives an ingredient-level aquatic-toxicity deduction on the environment axis for any product containing it above trace levels.

Not Prop 65-listed, not an asthmagen, not PFAS, not bioaccumulative.

Health & environment profile

VOC
yes
Prop 65 listed
no
Asthmagen
no
EPA Safer Choice
no
Aquatic toxicity
yes
Biodegradable
yes
Bioaccumulative
no
Persistent
no
Ozone depleting
no
Microplastic
no
PFAS
no
Env. score
4/5
Purpose: Co-solvent and surfactant precursor — a fatty (C12) alcohol used to modify solvency and flow in the aerosol formula

Common questions about Dodecanol (Lauryl Alcohol)

What is Dodecanol (Lauryl Alcohol) used for in car care?
Co-solvent and surfactant precursor — a fatty (C12) alcohol used to modify solvency and flow in the aerosol formula
Is Dodecanol (Lauryl Alcohol) a VOC?
Yes. Dodecanol (Lauryl Alcohol) is classified as a volatile organic compound (VOC).
Is Dodecanol (Lauryl Alcohol) on California's Proposition 65 list?
No. Dodecanol (Lauryl Alcohol) is not on California's Proposition 65 list.
Is Dodecanol (Lauryl Alcohol) biodegradable?
Yes. Dodecanol (Lauryl Alcohol) has a confirmed biodegradable profile.

1 product contain this

Related

Health and environment notes translate the manufacturer Safety Data Sheet, the GHS classification, and authoritative regulatory listings (California Prop 65, EPA). Not medical advice. They describe the ingredient itself; whether a hazard applies to a finished product depends on its concentration and how it's used.