What is the Difference Between Cocamide DEA and Cocamide MEA

The key difference between cocamide DEA and cocamide MEA is that cocamide DEA is a yellow-coloured, viscous liquid, whereas cocamide MEA is a solid substance with an off-white colour. High doses of cocamide DEA are very toxic and can even cause cancers; inhalation of high doses of cocamide MEA can be toxic, but this compound is generally considered to be safe.

Cocamide DEA stands for cocamide diethanolamine, while Cocamide MEA stands for cocamide monoethanolamine. These compounds are very important industrially as foaming agents and are mainly used for cosmetic productions. Cosmetic products containing these chemicals include shampoos and hand wash.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Cocamide DEA
3. What is Cocamide MEA
4. Similarities – Cocamide DEA and Cocamide MEA
4. Cocamide DEA vs Cocamide MEA in Tabular Form
5. Summary – Cocamide DEA vs Cocamide MEA

What is Cocamide DEA?

Cocamide DEA is an organic compound having a complicated chemical formula (CH3(CH2)nC(=O)N(CH2CH2OH)2). The value of the “n” in this chemical formula usually ranges from 8 to 18. It appears as a yellow or yellowish viscous liquid. The structure of this compound is as follows:

It is a type of diethanolamide produced by the reaction between a mixture of fatty acids (which is obtained from coconut oil) and diethanolamine. This substance occurs as a viscous liquid that is useful as a foaming agent in bath products such as shampoo and hand soaps. In addition, this substance is important in the cosmetic industry as an emulsifying agent.

However, high doses of cocamide DEA in shampoo can be toxic. Potentially, it can be carcinogenic as well. The definition of a high dose in this context is equal to about 10 000 ppm. Due to this reason, the cocamide DEA compound was added to a list of chemicals that can cause cancers in June 2012. Moreover, this compound has a high irritation potential as well.

What is Cocamide MEA?

Cocamide MEA stands for cocamide monoethanolamine. It is a solid substance having an off-white to tan appearance. This solid substance tends to melt into a pale yellow coloured viscous, clear liquid substance. Cocamide MEA exists as a mixture of fatty acid amides. This mixture of fatty acid amides is produced from the fatty acids in coconut oil. When coconut oil reacts with ethanolamine, it forms cocamide MEA. The chemical compound appears as follows:

There are different uses of cocamide MEA, including the use of this substance as a foaming agent, similar to most other ethanolamine compounds. It is also useful as a nonionic surfactant in shampoo and bath products. Furthermore, we can use cocamide MEA as an emulsifying agent in cosmetics.

What are the Similarities Between Cocamide DEA and Cocamide MEA?

• These compounds are very important industrially as foaming agents, mainly in cosmetic productions.
• Cosmetic products containing these chemicals include shampoos and hand wash.

What is the Difference Between Cocamide DEA and Cocamide MEA?

Cocamide DEA or cocamide diethanolamine is a yellow coloured, viscous liquid, whereas cocamide MEA or cocamide monoethanolamine is a solid substance with an off-white colour. High doses of cocamide DEA are very toxic and can even cause cancers. But, on the other hand, though inhalation of high doses of cocamide MEA can be toxic, this compound is generally considered to be safe. So, this is the key difference between cocamide DEA and cocamide MEA.

The below infographic presents the differences between cocamide DEA and cocamide MEA in tabular form for side by side comparison.

Summary – Cocamide DEA vs Cocamide MEA

Cocamide DEA is a yellow-coloured, viscous liquid, whereas cocamide MEA is a solid substance with an off-white colour. High doses of cocamide DEA are very toxic and can even cause cancers; inhalation of high doses of cocamide MEA can be toxic, but this compound is generally considered to be safe. Thus, this is the key difference between cocamide DEA and cocamide MEA. These compounds are very important industrially as foaming agents, mainly in cosmetic productions.

Reference:

1. “Cocamide Dea.” Cosmetics Info.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Cocoamide diethanolamine” By NadirSH – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Cocoamide monoethanolamine” By NadirSH – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia