Sulphur Smell during Heating

Formulating

Sulphur Smell during Heating

Posted by Dirtnap1 on May 2, 2018 at 4:17 pm

We are formulating a pomade with basically the same formula we all see here.

ceteareth-20, propylene glocol, tween 20, tween 80, peg 7 glyceryl cocoate, glycerin, peg 40 HCO, broccoli seed oil, castor oil, lubrizol g-100 fixative, and fragrance, DMDM.

During heating phases we are developing a sulphur smell. I am trying to make this a one pot melt as we will be doing so in a 45 gallon water jacketed tank.

Only thing I can think of that could be causing sulphur would be the fragrance.

Anyone see any ingredient within my ingredient list that may also cause this reaction?

If it is the fragrance, how does one go about adding to a large vat for bottling if the duration of time in vat will break down the fragrance into sulphur compounds?

Thank you for any input.

Dirtnap1 replied 6 years, 11 months ago 4 Members · 9 Replies
9 Replies

belassi

Member
May 2, 2018 at 5:52 pm

Change the fragrance and see what happens. Obvious.
Dirtnap1

Member
May 2, 2018 at 6:24 pm

Can’t change the fragrance. Already purchased a lot for a contract.
So only ingredient you saw would be the fragrance? Thanks.
belassi

Member
May 2, 2018 at 7:28 pm

No. It could be the broccoli oil. Only a knockout experiment will prove it.
Bill_Toge

Professional Chemist / Formulator
May 2, 2018 at 9:48 pm

most likely your broccoli seed oil; it’s likely to contain some sulphoraphane, an organic sulphoxide which boils at about 130 °C and may well have a significant vapour pressure below that
Dirtnap1

Member
May 2, 2018 at 9:58 pm

Thank you! Truly appreciate it.
zaidjeber

Member
May 4, 2018 at 2:15 am

its the broccoli seed oil, remove/replace that and update us on the results.
Dirtnap1

Member
May 4, 2018 at 4:09 pm

So I did a knock down with most ingredients. Substituted broccoli seed oil for castor and meadowfoam seed oils. Tried a couple different fragrances.

I’m thinking the smell is possibly from the DMDM Hydantoin. Both fragrance and DMDM are added at cool down, but that is where I am getting the scent of sulphur.

I need to find another preservative to do a knockdown with.
Bill_Toge

Professional Chemist / Formulator
May 4, 2018 at 4:24 pm

if DMDM hydantoin creates any kind of smell, it’ll be formaldehyde

the smell of formaldehyde is very hard to describe if you’ve not smelt it before; it smells sterile and slightly acrid rather than sulphurous
Dirtnap1

Member
May 4, 2018 at 6:40 pm

Yeah, I guess the scent could be described as more of a formaldehyde rather than sulphurous. But I had never encountered this scent using DMDM in other products until this formula.

Any suggestions on a preservative(s) that are not too heat sensitive and neutral scent?

Thanks, Bill.