# Moisture absorbing "gel" in hygiene products TMI
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moisture-absorbing-gel-in-hygiene-products-tmi/51962
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [January 27, 2001, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moisture-absorbing-gel-in-hygiene-products-tmi/51962 "2001-01-27T03:29:39Z")
**Posts on this page:** 7
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@techchick68](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/techchick68)
#### Post date: [January 27, 2001, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moisture-absorbing-gel-in-hygiene-products-tmi/51962/1 "2001-01-27T03:29:39Z")
Okay, this is kind of gross but I was wondering if the compounds that absorb moisture put in pantiliners, pads and diapers are bad if ingested. Are they toxic?
Let’s just say; woman owns dog, that time of month, woman leaves, dog gets into trash (bad dog) dog pukes about a week later what looks like ingested rayon. Woman thinks, hmmmm, not only did dog do a bad thing but dog ingested that moisture absorbing stuff too.
BTW, if you were wondering, they were Always pantiliners, and if you have ever accidentally thrown one into the washer with your delicates, they balloon from about 1/4" to about three inches.
---
### Author:  [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)
#### Post date: [January 27, 2001, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moisture-absorbing-gel-in-hygiene-products-tmi/51962/2 "2001-01-27T03:40:51Z")
**IANAV** , but I’d wag that the worst-case scenario is that the dog pukes up the stuff and that’s the end of it. I don’t think those compounds that absorb moisture are toxic; more likely, they would swell up inside your stomach and make you hurl (like they did to your dog) before they did any real damage. Of course, YMMV, so ask a vet if you’re really concerned.
---
### Author:  [@Fletch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fletch)
#### Post date: [January 27, 2001, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moisture-absorbing-gel-in-hygiene-products-tmi/51962/3 "2001-01-27T05:17:31Z")
I didn’t know they made liners for persons who went “commando”.
---
### Author:  [@Shiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shiva)
#### Post date: [January 27, 2001, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moisture-absorbing-gel-in-hygiene-products-tmi/51962/4 "2001-01-27T05:58:15Z")
No big deal. They **do** swell up a lot, but I’m assuming these super-absorbents were already umm… hydrated.
Here’s an MSDS on them: [http://www.aquatrols.com/Tech%20Pgs/MSDSes/MSDS%20SuperSorb%20C.htm](http://www.aquatrols.com/Tech%20Pgs/MSDSes/MSDS%20SuperSorb%20C.htm)
I know, it’s a different application, but it’s the same stuff.
---
### Author:  [@techchick68](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/techchick68)
#### Post date: [January 27, 2001, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moisture-absorbing-gel-in-hygiene-products-tmi/51962/5 "2001-01-27T07:52:10Z")
Fletch – hehe, Ummm, when Aunty Flow visits I do wear undies…ya just gotta, at least I do.
And thanks Shiva. It did worry me when I found the puked up, you know. He’s done it before, usually when I am gone longer than 5 hours, and never puked it up but this time it got me thinking. I sure hope it’s not toxic for a dog.
It was like a big cat entered my house and left behind a furball. Kind of freaked me out.
---
### Author:  [@douglips](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/douglips)
#### Post date: [January 27, 2001, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moisture-absorbing-gel-in-hygiene-products-tmi/51962/6 "2001-01-27T19:19:23Z")
My cousin with two big dumb yellow labs has a two year old baby. About 6 months ago one of the dogs got into a supply of diapers and ate several. He apparently shat powder for about a week but seemed otherwise unharmed. I believe they went to the vet and the answer was “Don’t let him do it again, but just make sure he has lots of water and food and he’ll be OK.”
Stupid freaking dogs, but always happy.
---
### Author:  [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)
#### Post date: [January 28, 2001, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moisture-absorbing-gel-in-hygiene-products-tmi/51962/7 "2001-01-28T21:39:09Z")
TMI? This from someone who mere months ago told us about defecation?
THe original absorbent in many of these products was sphagnum, or peat moss. This is not particularly toxic. The aquatrols in more modern ones are, like Parcelsius said, toxic (like anything else) in large quantities.
Why do you ask?