Glycerol, also known as glycerin (or glycerine), is an organic alcohol compound found in many lipids. It can be derived from either animal or plant sources. Glycerin may not have a glamorous reputation, but it has been used in cosmetics for over half a century, and it is a natural component of the outermost layer of our skin, the stratum corneum. It is a humectant, which means it helps the skin to retain moisture. A study published in 2005 demonstrated that the amount of glycerin present can be used to measure skin hydration levels, indicating that higher levels of glycerin result in better hydration.

Glycerin (Wikipedia)

This article is about the chemical compound. For a song by the band Bush, see Glycerine (song).

Glycerol (/ˈɡlɪsərɒl/), also called glycerine in British English and glycerin in American English, is a simple triol compound. It is a colorless, odorless, viscous liquid that is sweet-tasting and non-toxic. The glycerol backbone is found in lipids known as glycerides. Because it has antimicrobial and antiviral properties, it is widely used in wound and burn treatments approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Conversely, it is also used as a bacterial culture medium. It can be used as an effective marker to measure liver disease. It is also widely used as a sweetener in the food industry and as a humectant in pharmaceutical formulations. Because of its three hydroxyl groups, glycerol is miscible with water and is hygroscopic in nature.

Glycerol

Names
Preferred IUPAC name Propane-1,2,3-triol
Other names Glycerin Glycerine 1,2,3-Trioxypropane 1,2,3-Trihydroxypropane 1,2,3-Propanetriol
Identifiers
CAS Number	56-81-5 Y
3D model (JSmol)	Interactive image
ChEBI	CHEBI:17522 Y
ChEMBL	ChEMBL692 Y
ChemSpider	733 Y
DrugBank	DB04077 Y
ECHA InfoCard	100.000.263
E number	E422 (thickeners, ...)
IUPHAR/BPS	5195
KEGG	D00028 Y
PubChem CID	753
UNII	PDC6A3C0OX Y
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)	DTXSID9020663
InChI InChI=1S/C3H8O3/c4-1-3(6)2-5/h3-6H,1-2H2 Y Key: PEDCQBHIVMGVHV-UHFFFAOYSA-N Y InChI=1/C3H8O3/c4-1-3(6)2-5/h3-6H,1-2H2 Key: PEDCQBHIVMGVHV-UHFFFAOYAF
SMILES OCC(O)CO
Properties
Chemical formula	C3H8O3
Molar mass	92.094 g·mol−1
Appearance	Colorless hygroscopic liquid
Odor	Odorless
Density	1.261 g/cm3
Melting point	17.8 °C (64.0 °F; 290.9 K)
Boiling point	290 °C (554 °F; 563 K)
Solubility in water	miscible
log P	-2.32
Vapor pressure	0.003 mmHg (50 °C)
Magnetic susceptibility (χ)	-57.06·10−6 cm3/mol
Refractive index (nD)	1.4746
Viscosity	1.412 Pa·s (20 °C)
Pharmacology
ATC code	A06AG04 (WHO) A06AX01 (WHO), QA16QA03 (WHO)
Hazards
NFPA 704 (fire diamond)	1 1 0
Flash point	160 °C (320 °F; 433 K) (closed cup) 176 °C (349 °F; 449 K) (open cup)
NIOSH (US health exposure limits):
PEL (Permissible)	TWA 15 mg/m3 (total) TWA 5 mg/m3 (resp)
REL (Recommended)	None established
IDLH (Immediate danger)	N.D.
Safety data sheet (SDS)	JT Baker
Supplementary data page
Glycerol (data page)
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa). Y verify (what is YN ?) Infobox references