Baby Safety / Compounds / 1,2-Dibromo-3-chloropropane (DBCP)

Is 1,2-Dibromo-3-chloropropane (DBCP) safe for babies and kids?

Elevated risk for kids

Infants are more vulnerable to 1,2-Dibromo-3-chloropropane (DBCP) than children or adults due to immature hepatic/renal clearance, higher intake-to-body-weight ratio, rapid organ development, and increased gastrointestinal absorption.

What is 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane (dbcp)?

The IUPAC name is 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane.

Also known as: 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane, DBCP, 3-Chloro-1,2-dibromopropane, Fumazone.

IUPAC name: 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane
CAS number: 96-12-8
Molecular formula: C3H5Br2Cl
Molecular weight: 236.33 g/mol
SMILES: C(C(CBr)Br)Cl
PubChem CID: 7280

Risk for babies

Elevated risk

Neonates and infants up to 12 months have incomplete blood-brain barrier development, immature Phase I/II metabolic enzymes (particularly CYP3A4, UGT1A1), and higher gastrointestinal permeability. Equivalent doses produce higher internal concentrations and longer residence times.

What to do: Minimize infant exposure through source control. For breastfeeding mothers: reduce maternal exposure. For formula-fed infants: use certified low-migration bottles and verified water sources. Consult pediatrician regarding any concerns.

Risk for pregnant and nursing people

Severe risk

Pregnancy alters the metabolism and distribution of 1,2-Dibromo-3-chloropropane (DBCP), potentially increasing fetal exposure. The developing embryo/fetus is vulnerable during organogenesis (weeks 3-8) and neurological development. Placental transfer should be assumed.

Known reproductive toxicant (GHS H360) or confirmed endocrine disruptor. Placental transfer is presumed. Fetal exposure during critical developmental windows may cause structural malformations, growth restriction, or functional deficits.

What to do: Minimize exposure during pregnancy and lactation. Consult healthcare provider regarding specific risks. Consider alternative products with lower hazard profiles.

Regulatory consensus

12 regulatory and scientific bodies have classified 1,2-Dibromo-3-chloropropane (DBCP). The classifications differ — that's the data.

Agency	Year	Classification
IARC	1979	Group 2B
US EPA	1985	probable human carcinogen
EPA CTX / NIOSH	—	potential occupational carcinogen
EPA CTX / NTP RoC	—	Reasonably Anticipated to be a Human Carcinogen
EPA CTX / IARC	—	Group 2B - Possibly carcinogenic to humans
EPA CTX / EPA OPP	—	Group B2 Probable Human Carcinogen
EPA CTX / CalEPA	—	Known human carcinogen
EPA CTX / Genetox	—	Genotoxicity: positive (Ames: positive, 15 positive / 3 negative reports)
EPA CTX / Genetox	—	Genotoxicity: positive (Ames: positive, 15 positive / 3 negative reports)
EPA CTX / Skin-Eye	—	Eye Irritation: Serious eye damage/eye irritation - Category 2 (score: high)
EPA CTX / Skin-Eye	—	Eye Irritation: Category 2B (score: moderate)
EPA CTX / Skin-Eye	—	Skin Irritation: Not classified (score: low)

Regulators apply different standards of evidence — animal-data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds — which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. The disagreement is the data.

Where kids encounter 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane (dbcp)

Industrial Facilities — Manufacturing plants, Chemical storage areas, Waste treatment sites
Occupational Environments — Factories, Warehouses, Transportation vehicles

Safer alternatives

Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to 1,2-Dibromo-3-chloropropane (DBCP):

Safer process chemistry; Green chemistry alternatives; Exposure controls
Trade-offs: Requires R&D investment to redesign synthesis routes; may reduce yield or throughput initially; long-term benefits include reduced waste treatment costs, regulatory compliance, and worker safety; 12 Principles of Green Chemistry framework available.

Relative cost: 1.2-2×

Frequently asked questions

Is 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane (dbcp) safe for kids?

What products contain 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane (dbcp)?

1,2-Dibromo-3-chloropropane (DBCP) appears in: Manufacturing plants (Industrial facilities); Chemical storage areas (Industrial facilities); Factories (Occupational environments); Warehouses (Occupational environments).

What should I do if my child is exposed to 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane (dbcp)?

Minimize infant exposure through source control. For breastfeeding mothers: reduce maternal exposure. For formula-fed infants: use certified low-migration bottles and verified water sources. Consult pediatrician regarding any concerns.

Why do regulators disagree about 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane (dbcp)?

1,2-Dibromo-3-chloropropane (DBCP) has been classified by 12 agencies including IARC, US EPA, EPA CTX / NIOSH, EPA CTX / NTP RoC, EPA CTX / IARC, with differing conclusions. Regulators apply different standards of evidence (animal data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds), which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. See the regulatory consensus table on this page for the full picture.

See 1,2-Dibromo-3-chloropropane (DBCP) in the baby app

Look up products containing 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane (dbcp), compare to alternatives, and explore the full data record.

Open in baby View raw API data

Sources (3)

IARC Monographs Volume 20: DBCP — Group 2B; Multiple Rodent Tumor Types; Male Reproductive Toxicity; Germinal Epithelium Depletion; Agricultural Exposure Data (1979) — iarc_monograph
Whorton et al.: Infertility in Male Pesticide Workers — DBCP Azoospermia Discovery at Occidental Chemical Lathrop; Landmark Occupational Reproductive Toxicology Study (1977) — study
US EPA: DBCP MCL 0.0002 mg/L; Emergency Suspension 1977; California Groundwater Contamination; San Joaquin Valley Agricultural Legacy; Carcinogenic Risk Assessment (1991) — regulatory

Reference data, not professional advice. Aggregates publicly available regulatory and scientific data; not a substitute for veterinary, medical, legal, or regulatory advice. Why we built ALETHEIA →