The Different Facets of Triclocarban: A Review

In the late 1930s and early 1940s, it was discovered that the substitution on aromatic ringsof hydrogen atoms with chlorine yielded a novel chemistry of antimicrobials. However, within afew years, many of these compounds and formulations showed adverse effects, including humantoxicity, ecotoxicity, and unwanted environmental persistence and bioaccumulation, quickly leadingto regulatory bans and phase-outs. Among these, the triclocarban, a polychlorinated aromaticantimicrobial agent, was employed as a major ingredient of toys, clothing, food packaging materials,food industry floors, medical supplies, and especially of personal care products, such as soaps,toothpaste, and shampoo. Triclocarban has been widely used for over 50 years, but only recentlysome concerns were raised about its endocrine disruptive properties. In September 2016, the U.S.Food and Drug Administration banned its use in over-the-counter hand and body washes becauseof its toxicity. The withdrawal of triclocarban has prompted the efforts to search for new antimicrobialcompounds and several analogues of triclocarban have also been studied. In this review, anexamination of different facets of triclocarban and its analogues will be analyzed.