Baby Safety / Compounds / 2,6-Di-tert-butylphenol

Is 2,6-Di-tert-butylphenol safe for babies and kids?

Elevated risk for kids

Infants are more vulnerable to 2,6-Di-tert-butylphenol 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 2,6-di-tert-butylphenol?

The IUPAC name is 2,6-ditert-butylphenol.

Also known as: 2,6-ditert-butylphenol, 2,6-Di-t-butylphenol, 2,6-Bis(tert-butyl)phenol, Phenol, 2,6-bis(1,1-dimethylethyl)-.

IUPAC name
2,6-ditert-butylphenol
CAS number
128-39-2
Molecular formula
C14H22O
Molecular weight
206.32 g/mol
SMILES
CC(C)(C)C1=C(C(=CC=C1)C(C)(C)C)O
PubChem CID
31405

Risk for babies

Elevated risk

Infants are more vulnerable to 2,6-Di-tert-butylphenol 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

Prenatal exposure to 2,6-Di-tert-butylphenol through personal care products may affect fetal development. Some fragrance chemicals are sensitizers or endocrine-active compounds with transplacental transfer.

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

1 regulatory bodyhas classified 2,6-Di-tert-butylphenol.

AgencyYearClassificationNotes
EU_REACH2024not_restrictedNot on SVHC or CoRAP. BHT metabolite.

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 2,6-di-tert-butylphenol

  • Personal Care — essential oils, oral care, antiseptics
  • Food — spice flavoring (thymol, carvacrol)
  • Fragrance — perfume, cologne, scented personal care products, household fragrance products, candles
    Identified in Fragrance Ingredient Safety Priority Research database (2,325 ingredients)

Safer alternatives

Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to 2,6-Di-tert-butylphenol:

  • Vitamin E (tocopherol)
    Trade-offs: Consumer label appeal ('clean label'); variable efficacy depending on food matrix and target pathogen; may alter flavor/color; regulatory status varies by jurisdiction; often more expensive per unit of preservation effect.
    Relative cost: 1.2-2×

Frequently asked questions

Is 2,6-di-tert-butylphenol safe for kids?

Infants are more vulnerable to 2,6-Di-tert-butylphenol 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 2,6-di-tert-butylphenol?

2,6-Di-tert-butylphenol appears in: essential oils (Personal care); oral care (Personal care); spice flavoring (thymol, carvacrol) (Food); perfume (Fragrance); cologne (Fragrance).

What should I do if my child is exposed to 2,6-di-tert-butylphenol?

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 2,6-Di-tert-butylphenol in the baby app

Look up products containing 2,6-di-tert-butylphenol, compare to alternatives, and explore the full data record.

Open in baby View raw API data

Sources (1)
  1. PubChem Compound Database (2026) — database

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 →