Potential Causes for the Formula Turning Brown

Based on the information about the ingredients, the browning you observed in your pet care formula containing Ionic Silver Solution and Zinc Ricinoleate is likely due to a chemical reaction between these two ingredients.

Here's a breakdown of the potential causes:

• Interaction between Ionic Silver and Zinc Ricinoleate: Ionic Silver is sensitive to salts and electrolytes, and Zinc Ricinoleate is a zinc salt. The combination of these two ingredients can lead to reactions where silver ions are reduced to elemental silver, which often appears as a brown or black discoloration. This is the most probable cause.
• Light Sensitivity of Ionic Silver: Ionic Silver is highly sensitive to light. Usage instructions recommend storing products containing Ionic Silver in opaque packaging to protect from light. If your product was stored in clear packaging, light exposure could accelerate the discoloration reaction.
• Absence of EDTA: Although Ionic Silver is sensitive to salts (including EDTA), EDTA is a chelating agent that can help bind other metal ions that might be present in the formula (e.g., from water or other impurities). These ions could potentially catalyze discoloration reactions. The absence of EDTA might allow these unwanted ions to be free to react and accelerate the discoloration. However, the primary cause remains the direct interaction between Ionic Silver and Zinc Ricinoleate.

In summary: The browning is likely caused by the chemical incompatibility between Ionic Silver and Zinc Ricinoleate, which is a salt. Other factors like light exposure (if using clear packaging) can also accelerate this reaction. The order of mixing might have some influence, but ingredient compatibility is the main factor.