Triclocarban
An antimicrobial named in Palau's list of reef-toxic chemicals. It is rare in sunscreen.
Banned in
- Palau
Where it’s restricted
Named in the law or guidance
| Location | Status | Since |
|---|---|---|
| Palau law text ↗ | In force | January 1, 2020 |
Why it’s regulated
FDA's 2016 final rule (81 FR 61106, effective September 6, 2017) found triclocarban not generally recognized as safe and effective for consumer antiseptic washes, so washes containing it are misbranded. FDA said the safety record for triclocarban was incomplete when it finalised the rule.
What the reef research says
Torres et al. (2016) found a no-observed-effect concentration of 0.256 µg/L for triclocarban in sea urchin (Paracentrotus lividus) embryos, against 100 µg/L for zebrafish, and the authors say triclocarban affected embryo development at environmentally relevant concentrations. Zhao et al. (2025) exposed Rana taihangensis tadpoles to 5, 15 and 45 µg/L and found reduced body condition in all treated groups. Duan et al. (2025) exposed black tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon) to 1 and 10 µg/L for 14 days; diversity changes in the gut microbiota were not statistically significant, but Bacteroidetes and Tenericutes shifted significantly. In the field, Sarkar et al. (2025) found triclocarban in 48.41% of water samples from East Kolkata's sewage-fed wetlands and up to 1.24 µg/g in fish from floodplain wetlands, and Wu et al. (2025) identified it as posing ecological risk in Guangdong surface waters. A PubMed search found no coral study, so coral-specific risk is unknown.
Sources (8)
- Torres et al. 2016, Int J Mol Sci: embryo bioassays of 4-MBC, propylparaben and triclocarban (sea urchin and zebrafish)
- Zhao et al. 2025, Front Microbiol: triclocarban and Rana taihangensis tadpoles
- Duan et al. 2025, Biology: intestinal microbiota of Penaeus monodon after triclocarban exposure
- Sarkar et al. 2025, Sci Total Environ: phenolic micropollutants in Indian freshwater
- Wu et al. 2025, Huan Jing Ke Xue: biocides in Guangdong surface water
- FDA final rule, Safety and Effectiveness of Consumer Antiseptics (Federal Register, 6 Sep 2016)
- Federal Register API record for 2016-21337 (citation 81 FR 61106)
- PubMed search: triclocarban AND coral (no records)
Related ingredients: Triclosan, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben
Last reviewed October 14, 2026.