COMMISSION REGULATION (EU) No 231/2012 of 9 March 2012
Synonyms
Cellulose hydroxypropyl ether
Definition
Hydroxypropylcellulose is cellulose obtained directly from strains of fibrous plant material and partially etherified with hydroxypropyl groups
Einecs:
Chemical name: Hydroxypropyl ether of cellulose
Chemical formula: The polymers contain substituted anhydroglucose units with the following general formula:
C 6 H 7 O 2 (OR 1 )(OR 2 )(OR 3 ), where R 1 , R 2 , R 3 each may be one of the following:
— H
— CH 2 CHOHCH 3
— CH 2 CHO(CH 2 CHOHCH 3 )CH 3
— CH 2 CHO[CH 2 CHO(CH 2 CHOHCH 3 )CH 3 ]CH 3
Molecular weight: From about 30 000 to 1 000 000
Assay: Content not more than 80,5 % of hydroxypropoxyl groups (-OCH 2 CHOHCH 3 ) equivalent to not more than 4,6 hydroxypropyl groups per anhydroglucose unit on the anhydrous basis
Description
Slightly hygroscopic white or slightly yellowish or greyish odourless and tasteless, granular or fibrous powder
Identification
Solubility: Swelling in water, producing a clear to opalescent, viscous, colloidal solution. Soluble in ethanol. Insoluble in ether
Gas chromatography: Determine the substituents by gas chromotography
pH: Not less than 5,0 and not more than 8,0 (1 % colloidal solution)
Purity
Loss on drying: Not more than 10 % (105 °C, 3 hours)
Sulphated ash: Not more than 0,5 % determined at 800 ± 25 °C
Propylene chlorohydrins: Not more than 0,1 mg/kg
Arsenic: Not more than 3 mg/kg
Lead: Not more than 2 mg/kg
Mercury: Not more than 1 mg/kg
Cadmium: Not more than 1 mg/kg