Baby Safety / Compounds / 1,3-Dimethylol-4,5-dihydroxyethyleneurea (DMDHEU)

Is 1,3-Dimethylol-4,5-dihydroxyethyleneurea (DMDHEU) safe for babies and kids?

Moderate risk for kids

Infants are more vulnerable to 1,3-Dimethylol-4,5-dihydroxyethyleneurea (DMDHEU) 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 1,3-dimethylol-4,5-dihydroxyethyleneurea (dmdheu)?

The IUPAC name is oxidane.

Also known as: oxidane, water, Distilled water, Dihydrogen oxide.

IUPAC name
oxidane
CAS number
7732-18-5
Molecular formula
H2O
Molecular weight
18.015 g/mol
SMILES
O
PubChem CID
962

Risk for babies

Moderate risk

Infants are more vulnerable to 1,3-Dimethylol-4,5-dihydroxyethyleneurea (DMDHEU) than children or adults due to immature hepatic/renal clearance, higher intake-to-body-weight ratio, rapid organ development, and increased gastrointestinal absorption.

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

Context-dependent

Pregnancy alters the metabolism and distribution of 1,3-Dimethylol-4,5-dihydroxyethyleneurea (DMDHEU), potentially increasing fetal exposure. The developing embryo/fetus is vulnerable during organogenesis (weeks 3-8) and neurological development. Placental transfer should be assumed.

No specific reproductive toxicity data identified, but pregnancy-specific safety data is limited for most chemicals. Precautionary minimization of exposure is recommended.

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

Regulatory consensus

2 regulatory and scientific bodies have classified 1,3-Dimethylol-4,5-dihydroxyethyleneurea (DMDHEU). The classifications differ — that's the data.

AgencyYearClassificationNotes
EPA CTX / Genetox—Genotoxicity: positive (Ames: positive, 1 positive / 1 negative reports)
EPA CTX / Genetox—Genotoxicity: positive (Ames: positive, 1 positive / 1 negative reports)

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 1,3-dimethylol-4,5-dihydroxyethyleneurea (dmdheu)

  • Industrial Facilities — Manufacturing plants, Waste treatment sites
  • Occupational Environments — Factories, Warehouses
  • Consumer Products — dietary supplements, fortified foods, energy drinks

Safer alternatives

Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to 1,3-Dimethylol-4,5-dihydroxyethyleneurea (DMDHEU):

  • Fragrance-free formulations
    Trade-offs: Consumer preference for scented products
    Relative cost: Lower (ingredient elimination)
  • Essential oil-based fragrances (with disclosure)
    Trade-offs: Natural does not mean safe — many essential oils are skin sensitizers
    Relative cost: 2-5× conventional

Frequently asked questions

Is 1,3-dimethylol-4,5-dihydroxyethyleneurea (dmdheu) safe for kids?

Infants are more vulnerable to 1,3-Dimethylol-4,5-dihydroxyethyleneurea (DMDHEU) than children or adults due to immature hepatic/renal clearance, higher intake-to-body-weight ratio, rapid organ development, and increased gastrointestinal absorption.

What products contain 1,3-dimethylol-4,5-dihydroxyethyleneurea (dmdheu)?

1,3-Dimethylol-4,5-dihydroxyethyleneurea (DMDHEU) appears in: Manufacturing plants (Industrial facilities); Waste treatment sites (Industrial facilities); Factories (Occupational environments); Warehouses (Occupational environments); dietary supplements (Consumer products).

What should I do if my child is exposed to 1,3-dimethylol-4,5-dihydroxyethyleneurea (dmdheu)?

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.

See 1,3-Dimethylol-4,5-dihydroxyethyleneurea (DMDHEU) in the baby app

Look up products containing 1,3-dimethylol-4,5-dihydroxyethyleneurea (dmdheu), compare to alternatives, and explore the full data record.

Open in baby View raw API data

Sources (3)
  1. PubChem Compound CID 962 — database
  2. EPA CompTox Chemicals Dashboard — DTXSID6026296 — epa
  3. ATSDR Toxicological Profile — CAS 7732-18-5 — reference

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 →