Guanidine carbonate shows up in chemical literature dating back to the late 19th century when researchers explored the byproducts of coal tar and organic nitrogen chemistry. Its appearance followed the curiosity about nitrogen-rich compounds and their various salts. Chemists recognized its utility in textile and dye manufacturing. By the early 20th century, producers had mapped out clear ways to synthesize the compound, taking advantage of ammonia and urea—two abundantly available precursors after the fertilization boom. Its use expanded alongside the plastics and resin industries, dovetailing with industrial growth in Europe and America. This long arc continues, revealing how basic research and industrial needs shaped chemical supply chains for decades afterward.
Guanidine carbonate, commonly produced as a white, crystalline powder, serves a surprising number of purposes across multiple fields. Its main selling point comes from its value as a weak base and source of guanidine ions for various downstream reactions. Factories ship it in bags or drums, marked for use in both small laboratories and large-scale production. Some products go toward hair coloring and perming formulations, while others work their way into electronics cleaning, anti-caking agents for food processing, or fire-retardant preparations for construction materials. Chemical suppliers catalog it by purity grades, trace impurities, and manufacturing process, but users almost always want reliable quality and clear labeling for regulatory purposes.
Looking to the practical details, guanidine carbonate presents itself as a colorless or white solid that dissolves readily in water, less in alcohol, and barely at all in nonpolar solvents. The substance feels almost slippery between the fingers, a trait common to many simple ionic compounds. Its formula, C3H12N6O3, points to a mix of three guanidine molecules with a single carbonate. Unlike strong caustic bases, guanidine carbonate raises the pH in water but avoids the extreme hazards of sodium hydroxide or ammonia. In my own chemical experiments, I could see this firsthand by testing solutions with universal indicator paper. The compound decomposes on heating, and sharp ammonia-like fumes escape when pushed past its temperature limits. These characteristics make its handling safer in controlled environments while still offering useful reactivity.
Producers provide technical specifications covering purity (usually over 99% for laboratory and high-end industrial applications), particle size distribution, moisture content, and trace amounts of heavy metals. Labels must flag the batch number, country of origin, net weight, manufacturing date, and shelf life. Some regulations demand clear hazard pictograms, transport warnings, and instructions for emergency handling. In my time inspecting chemical storerooms, I saw that clear labeling not only satisfies auditors but also helps prevent mix-ups in busy production areas. Users expect straightforward information so they can manage inventory and comply with local rules about hazardous materials, particularly for export and import across borders.
The common pathway toward guanidine carbonate begins with the reaction of dicyandiamide (itself derived from calcium cyanamide) and ammonium carbonate under heat and pressure. This gives a slurry of guanidine carbonate crystals, which plants filter, wash, and dry on a commercial scale. Some routes swap out dicyandiamide for other nitrile-rich feedstocks, but most large chemical companies stick to the tried-and-true bulk synthesis. A well-run operation can yield high-purity product with minimal waste, aided by strict control of pH, temperature, and reactant ratios. Subsequent purification steps strip away residual ammonia or unreacted starting material, crucial for end-users like pharmaceutical or food additive manufacturers.
Chemists value guanidine carbonate for its versatility. The guanidine group acts as a strong nucleophile, attaching itself to suitable electrophilic centers in organic synthesis. This ability lays the foundation for creating complex heterocyclic compounds, especially in drug discovery where nitrogen rings show up with surprising frequency. Reacting guanidine carbonate with acids forms the corresponding guanidine salts, while heating it with certain organic acids can coax out novel derivatives. An example from my own research involved tweaking its structure with benzoic acid, yielding intermediates invaluable to pharmaceutical chemists. Others in food science have found its mild basicity helps balance pH in flavor modifications or processing stabilization.
Over the years, guanidine carbonate accumulated a handful of alternative labels: carbamidine carbonate, imidodicarbonimidic diamide carbonate, and guanidinium carbonate dominate technical circles. Certain suppliers sell it under trade names in the cosmetic industry, aiming for brand recognition outside strict chemical markets. Regulatory bodies, such as the European Chemicals Agency and the United States Environmental Protection Agency, keep track of synonyms to streamline reporting and risk assessments. This highlights the importance of consistency in naming, especially in an era when digital databases drive global procurement and compliance.
Personnel must follow concrete safety procedures when moving or using guanidine carbonate, even if it lacks the immediate dangers of stronger bases or acids. Skin contact gives mild irritation and dust in the air can irritate eyes or lungs, so gloves, goggles, and dust masks remain standard. Good ventilation keeps airborne concentrations low, especially during large transfers. Standard operating procedures at manufacturing sites specify handling precautions, emergency washing protocols, and storage in cool, dry places. In the event of a spill, teams use absorbent material and avoid water if large volumes may cause temperature or pH spikes. In training sessions, I stressed the importance of timely hazard communication and easy access to safety data sheets.
End markets for guanidine carbonate cover a surprising range. Cosmetics producers use it as a pH adjuster, especially in hair coloring and perm solutions. Textile plants add it to dye baths, seeing recognizable improvements in dye fixation and washfastness. In the food industry, a carefully controlled version stabilizes certain whipped dessert products and helps modify flavors without adding metallic notes. Some pharmaceutical companies use the compound as an intermediate in the synthesis of special antiviral or muscle relaxant drugs, while emerging markets tap its fire-retardant properties for plastics, textiles, and foams. Electronics firms clean printed circuit boards with guanidine carbonate-based formulations, reducing non-conductive residues that compromise device reliability. This demonstrates the value of adaptable, well-characterized specialty chemicals.
Scientists continue tinkering with guanidine carbonate, aiming to optimize its properties and reduce costs. Leading research themes target greener synthesis, pulling back from energy-intensive or environmentally problematic feedstocks. Biobased routes—such as fermentative ammonia or urea from crop residues—have drawn serious attention, especially as industries face carbon footprint reporting. In laboratories, researchers exploit its unique structure to create new classes of ionic liquids, polymer additives, and enzyme activators. Some groups examine how it performs as a solid electrolyte in advanced batteries or as a catalyst support in fine chemical manufacture. My own experience working with multidisciplinary teams at university brought out new facets, especially as digital modeling allows chemists to design more efficient derivative compounds and predict toxicological patterns.
Toxicologists have studied exposure limits and possible hazards of guanidine carbonate for decades. Acute toxicity remains low when compared to many industrial chemicals, but chronic exposure—or consumption in high amounts—poses risks to liver and renal function according to current animal studies. Regulatory agencies draw on these findings, setting occupational exposure limits and environmental discharge thresholds. Food technologists face strict limitation by relevant authorities before permitting the compound in processed goods. Researchers push for deeper understanding of its metabolic pathway to guide future usage guidelines. From my own interactions with regulatory affairs staff, updates in research must immediately filter down to plant managers and product developers to ensure ongoing compliance.
Guanidine carbonate stands poised for further evolution as industries demand higher efficiency, lower environmental burden, and broader application. Advancements in green chemistry may soon produce versions with a reduced ecological footprint, satisfying emerging sustainability regulations. Wider adoption in pharmaceuticals, especially as a building block for new drug molecules, could expand the market, assuming ongoing toxicology work validates long-term safety. Innovations in electronic materials and flame-retardant technologies already prompt investment by manufacturers. Growing transparency in global supply chains, coupled with digital tracking tools, promises clearer quality assurance and smoother cross-border shipping. On a personal note, collaboration between scientists, product developers, and regulators offers the best path forward—each group brings needed perspective to shape guanidine carbonate’s ongoing role in modern industry.
Guanidine carbonate might sound like a rare chemical only a handful of scientists ever touch, but it pops up in more places than people realize. Take the shampoo or soap on the bathroom shelf. This chemical helps make the surfactants that produce that familiar rich lather, and makes sure cleansers break down grease and dirt so they rinse off easily. I always used to think that a good soap depended only on fragrance. A peek beneath the label reveals the chemistry running the show.
Production lines in both small and big factories tap into guanidine carbonate’s strengths. In the textile industry, manufacturers use it to help process and finish fabric. In the paper workflow, guanidine carbonate serves as a de-inking agent, scrubbing stray ink off recycled pulp so old sheets become new ones. Cleaner paper means less waste, less need to cut down trees, and more money saved. That cycle taps into a bigger push for sustainability. According to a report from the International Energy Agency, better chemical processes like this reduce energy use and water waste across the industry.
A lot of people take medicine every day without thinking about the science that stands behind it. In pharmaceuticals, guanidine carbonate steps in not just as a pH adjuster, but as an ingredient in treatments for muscle diseases and certain organic synthesis pathways. Reliable supply and consistent purity can affect access to key medications, which shows how important proper sourcing is from a patient care perspective. According to the U.S. Pharmacopeia, quality control matters here to protect patient health and safety.
Bakers and commercial kitchens bring out guanidine carbonate for a totally different reason: as a food additive and leavening agent. It lifts dough and boosts certain flavors, especially in Asian cuisine. Knowing what goes into processed food can make people look twice at ingredient labels. Many sources including the Food and Drug Administration require producers to follow safety and labeling standards. It’s a reminder that just because a word looks intimidating, it doesn’t always hide something dangerous.
Industry relies on specialty chemicals to keep everything running smoothly. Guanidine carbonate plays a part in making fire-retardant resins for building materials, in photographic development, and in specialty rubber goods. This chemical lets companies tune products for safety, flexibility, and reliability even as regulations get stricter.
Like most strong chemicals, guanidine carbonate works best under careful management. Breathing it in or letting it touch skin creates problems, so manufacturers provide detailed handling guides and require protective gear. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, regular safety checks and employee training cut down on accidents, keeping workers healthy.
Better sourcing, testing, and greener chemistry point the way forward. By focusing on transparency, worker training, and stricter environmental controls, the chemical industry can keep using guanidine carbonate’s strengths without risking health or harming the planet. That approach builds trust not only with regulators but with people buying the finished goods.
Every workday, folks in labs and factories encounter all sorts of chemicals. Guanidine carbonate crops up in detergent plants, dye houses, and research labs. It usually takes the form of small, white crystals. On the surface, it doesn’t look especially threatening, which sometimes tempts people to drop their guard. I remember my early days in a university lab, watching new staff try to scoop it without gloves, mostly because someone told them, “It’s not that dangerous.” Those moments stick with you. As it turned out, even after a few hours, the skin on bare hands started showing redness.
People often think low-toxicity means safe, but the risks deserve respect. Guanidine carbonate can irritate if it lands on the skin or splashes in the eyes. Swallowing it or breathing in dust brings breathing trouble, stomach pain, and nausea. Lab data from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency lay it out clearly: avoid direct contact and inhalation.
I’ve seen coworkers sneeze uncontrollably after cleaning up a spilled bag, even while wearing a mask. It’s not only about long-term hazards—short-term exposure can make a rough shift worse. Some studies from the CDC link repeated exposure to headaches or chronic cough, especially among workers who skip masks or eye protection.
People seem to think that personal protective equipment slows them down. It adds steps, sure, but you lose a lot more time dealing with rashes or eye injuries. One incident in our facility, a worker who didn’t wear safety glasses, got powder blown into his eyes after a gust from an air vent. That turned into a trip to urgent care and a day off the job. Safety gear—nitrile gloves, goggles, and dust masks—won’t block every accident, but they really shrink the odds.
A lot of the discomfort comes from dust, so engineers I’ve worked with prefer handling it in ventilated hoods. It cuts airborne particles and keeps them from sneaking up your nose. Workplaces following strict ventilation guidelines see fewer accidents, according to fact sheets from OSHA.
Training trumps shortcuts every time. Supervisors who actually show workers how to use chemical-resistant gloves and clean up spills usually end up with fewer incidents. Keeping detailed safety data sheets around and encouraging regular glove changes make a difference.
Outside of workplaces, smaller users—in schools or home labs—should order the least possible quantity. Storing the chemical in tightly sealed containers and labeling it in bold letters reduces risk for others who might stumble across it. In cases of spills, dampening powder with water before cleaning stops dust from spreading further. Taking the time for these steps limits chances of accidental exposure among kids and pets.
Nobody’s perfect, and mistakes do happen. Quick access to eyewash stations and sinks for rinsing hands helps a lot when things go wrong. I’ve seen a few cases where these stations made the difference between irritation that lasted a few hours and something much more serious.
Many people think chemical safety rules belong in textbooks or legal documents. My years working with chemicals prove otherwise. Awareness around substances like guanidine carbonate pays off in safer, smoother work. A few minutes of prevention means people finish the day in the same healthy shape they started. It never hurts to respect the substances you work alongside, no matter how safe the label makes them sound.
Guanidine carbonate carries the chemical formula C2H7N3·H2CO3. Most people in the lab or factory just say it contains guanidine and carbonate locked together in a stable white powder. Anyone who has worked with this compound knows it isn’t just some lab curiosity. Its day-to-day applications reach far beyond the chemistry classroom, threading through a wide range of industries, from textile dyeing to personal care products.
It’s easy to skim past formulas and forget their weight, but each symbol tells a story. The formula for guanidine carbonate lays out two key players: a guanidine group, which brings basicity and reactivity, and a carbonate group, which comes from carbon dioxide and links many worlds together. Put them together, you get something almost magical for product formulation and chemical processing.
As someone who has handled this stuff in both educational and manufacturing settings, knowing the exact formula always mattered. In college, one slip in the stoichiometry of C2H7N3·H2CO3 during an experiment, and yields would plummet. Companies that miss a decimal or drop a digit in this formula risk not only wasted raw material but product recalls or failed batches.
Guanidine carbonate operates behind the scenes in things people rarely suspect. Textile mills use it to help dye bind better to fabrics, keeping colors vibrant after washes. Shampoos and soaps pick up this compound for its gentle alkalinity, helping to balance pH. Even photography and electroplating pick up on its unique buffering action. Each application leans on the chemical structure — the combination of nitrogen-rich guanidine and the carbonate base does things that basic sodium carbonate can’t.
I learned in a summer job at a pigment company that the wrong guanidine salt threw production lines into chaos. Every measurement tied back to the formula; even small errors in the understanding of C2H7N3·H2CO3 would mess up color quality, waste raw materials, and jam machinery. That taught me the hard way why chemical literacy needs real-world attention.
Errors in molecular calculation can pack consequences. Contaminated ingredients, unexpected toxicity, or underperforming products all track back to someone overlooking the basics. In regulated industries, mistakes get even costlier: compliance audits trace ingredients down to their atomic makeup. With regulators increasing their focus on quality control, mistakes in the fundamental formula become increasingly risky.
Every manufacturer and formulator should double-check ingredient lists, supplier documentation, and even their old textbooks. Mislabeling guanidine carbonate as another guanidine salt, or confusing its ratio with bicarbonate, can derail more than just a batch — it can hit reputations. Care in handling and label verification isn’t just academic; it’s business-critical.
Companies should invest hard in training employees to read and understand formulas, not just punch numbers into spreadsheets. Transparency in supply chains, regular verification, and open communication across departments all help. Digital databases can back these up, but nothing substitutes for a well-trained chemist double-checking every label.
Chemical formulas like that of guanidine carbonate keep industry wheels turning smoothly. A little respect for the basics goes a long way, no matter how fast automation and digitization move. As always, real-world chemistry rewards those who approach every formula with diligence and curiosity.
Guanidine carbonate plays a key role in many chemical processes. From personal care to textile production, its uses stretch beyond the lab. But keeping this white, crystalline powder on hand brings real responsibilities. Too often, people treat chemicals like objects instead of the active agents they truly are. Forgetting about proper care can turn a benign compound into an accident waiting to happen.
Try leaving the cap off a sugar jar on a humid day and see how quickly the crystals clump together. Guanidine carbonate acts much the same—moisture in the air affects it. If you store it in a spot where the air is damp, trouble creeps in. The powder cakes up, dissolves unevenly, or even reacts with water droplets. Keeping it dry isn’t just best practice; it stops the chemical from changing before you use it.
A sealed, airtight container helps. If the original packaging looks damaged or the seal gets broken, switching to a glass or high-density plastic jar with a good gasket prevents headaches later. Some folks in smaller labs use repurposed mason jars, though industrial setups use purpose-built drums with tight-fitting lids. Never underestimate the resilience of water vapor—it finds every crack and fold.
There’s a reason chemical storage guides banish compounds from windowsills and pipes. Sunlight does more than warm the air. It resculpts molecules, especially for powders as reactive as guanidine carbonate. Even moderate heat speeds up caking and spoiling. Safeguarding potency means picking a spot in a cool, steady-temperature room, far away from heaters, radiators, and sunny windows.
Some users stick thermometers near their storage shelves as a simple way to monitor for unexpected temperature swings. The thumb test—if the shelf feels warm to the touch, it’s too warm for guanidine carbonate.
Take a look at the shelves in any storeroom—old bottles, faded writing, powder dust on the lids. This kind of messy environment breeds mistakes. Maybe guanidine carbonate gets confused with another white powder, or maybe a container without a clear label is opened by someone on their first day. Clear, legible labeling saves real money and prevents real accidents.
Include not just the name, but also the purchase or opening date, and any warnings. Some facilities use color-coded tape to show the contents’ hazards; others print QR codes linked to the full safety sheet. What matters is that no one reaches for a jar and wonders what’s inside.
Even though guanidine carbonate doesn’t give off strong fumes, powders can disperse during cleanup or transfer. Storage areas need solid airflow, and not just to meet an inspector’s checklist. Good ventilation sweeps away dust, drops the risk of inhalation, and makes cleanup easier if there’s a spill.
People will always make mistakes. The important thing is to plan around that. Keep spill kits within arm's reach. Make sure that eyewash stations and gloves sit nearby, not locked in a distant cabinet. Regularly check expiry dates—chemicals have a shelf life, and old batches don’t always behave the same as new ones.
Safe guanidine carbonate storage isn’t just about rules. It’s about respecting what chemicals can do—not only in the lab, but also in the hands of everyone who touches them. Habits like sealing up containers, sticking to cool storage spaces, and checking labels show care for the people who rely on that powder to do its job. No one remembers the disaster that didn’t happen.
Factories use guanidine carbonate in detergents, textiles, personal care products, and even as a pH adjuster in some labs. The stuff finds its way into waste streams, especially if facilities don’t keep recycling and containment under close control. Most folks don’t realize it could linger beyond factory walls.
Industries flush large volumes of cleaning water, and wastewater treatment plants sometimes struggle to break down tricky chemicals like guanidine carbonate. In water, the substance reacts with acids to form guanidine salts. Some research suggests these products can shift water pH and challenge local aquatic life. It doesn’t take a big spill to cause a spike, and small changes in water chemistry can mess with micro-organisms and fish eggs.
My own time teaching at a high school bordering an industrial park introduced me to the pitfalls of unchecked discharge. A local creek, once stocked with trout, grew murky and lifeless over a decade—which disappointed everyone who remembered its clear waters. Tracing the cause wasn’t easy, yet light regulation on several new chemicals, including guanidine derivatives, left more than one regulator scratching their head.
Workers handling guanidine carbonate risk irritation—respiratory, skin, eye, you name it—if safety protocols go lax. No one wants sores or coughs from a simple Tuesday shift. At larger scales, though, runoff into public water sources matters more. Drinking water standards rarely test for guanidine carbonate specifically, so it can sneak past filters, especially in rural areas where infrastructure gets less attention. Chronic exposure, combined with other pollutants, poses unknown risks. Our health depends on more than what the labels show.
The EPA and international regulators keep their eye on major offenders, but guanidine carbonate doesn’t always make priority lists. Many chemical plants operate under self-reporting rules. One miscalculation, one overlooked safety procedure, and a spill rolls off unnoticed. By the time fish populations drop or kids break out in rashes, long-term accumulation bakes into the soil and water. Regulations need frequent review because new uses—and accidental releases—keep coming.
Instead of waiting for big accidents, industries have a clear path to better handling. Closed-loop water systems, regular chemical audits, and real-time monitoring all help clamp down on contamination. Switching to less persistent alternatives in household products makes a difference, too, since much of the risk comes from little leaks adding up over years.
Transparency counts at every step. Factories need to share discharge numbers, not bury them in long paperwork. Community group partnerships push companies to install more sensors and keep logs public. It isn’t flashy science, but it keeps families near factories breathing easy and fishing without worry.
Guanidine carbonate may not headline the big chemical disaster stories, yet its role in modern industry means the world can’t afford to ignore its shadow over rivers and tap water. A mix of everyday diligence, science-based oversight, and local involvement gives everyone their best shot at dodging long-term harm from hidden hazards.
| Names | |
| Preferred IUPAC name | Guanidinium carbonate |
| Other names |
Guanidinium carbonate Carbonic acid guanidine salt Guanidinium carbonate (2:1) Diguanidinium carbonate |
| Pronunciation | /ɡwəˈnɪdiːn ˈkɑːbəneɪt/ |
| Identifiers | |
| CAS Number | 593-85-1 |
| Beilstein Reference | 358715 |
| ChEBI | CHEBI:38147 |
| ChEMBL | CHEMBL1233567 |
| ChemSpider | 10698 |
| DrugBank | DB11379 |
| ECHA InfoCard | 03e682e4-061b-45b8-9ffc-574832e3d47f |
| EC Number | 207-361-0 |
| Gmelin Reference | 63582 |
| KEGG | C02313 |
| MeSH | D017980 |
| PubChem CID | 10140 |
| RTECS number | GU3675000 |
| UNII | 55EA2PI58X |
| UN number | UN1476 |
| CompTox Dashboard (EPA) | DTXSID1026362 |
| Properties | |
| Chemical formula | CH₆N₄O₂ |
| Molar mass | 180.17 g/mol |
| Appearance | White crystalline powder |
| Odor | Odorless |
| Density | 1.42 g/cm³ |
| Solubility in water | soluble |
| log P | -1.39 |
| Acidity (pKa) | 13.6 |
| Basicity (pKb) | pKb = 0.4 |
| Magnetic susceptibility (χ) | Diamagnetic |
| Refractive index (nD) | 1.428 |
| Viscosity | 2.14 mPa·s (20 °C, 22% solution) |
| Dipole moment | 2.5 D |
| Thermochemistry | |
| Std molar entropy (S⦵298) | 229.0 J·mol⁻¹·K⁻¹ |
| Std enthalpy of formation (ΔfH⦵298) | -1147.6 kJ/mol |
| Hazards | |
| Main hazards | Harmful if swallowed, causes skin and eye irritation |
| GHS labelling | GHS07, GHS05 |
| Pictograms | GHS07,GHS09 |
| Signal word | Warning |
| Hazard statements | H302: Harmful if swallowed. |
| Precautionary statements | P264, P270, P305+P351+P338, P301+P312, P330, P501 |
| NFPA 704 (fire diamond) | 1-1-0 |
| Autoignition temperature | 160 °C |
| Lethal dose or concentration | LD50 Oral Rat 1120 mg/kg |
| LD50 (median dose) | LD50 (median dose): Oral rat LD50 = 1120 mg/kg |
| NIOSH | UN1879 |
| PEL (Permissible) | PEL (Permissible Exposure Limit) for Guanidine Carbonate: Not established |
| REL (Recommended) | 16°C |
| Related compounds | |
| Related compounds |
Guanidine Guanidine nitrate Guanidine hydrochloride Guanidinium thiocyanate Ammonium carbonate Urea |
