Baby Safety / Compounds / Bentazon

Is Bentazon safe for babies and kids?

High risk for kids

Infants face elevated risk from Bentazon through dietary residues and environmental drift. Developing organ systems and immature detoxification capacity increase vulnerability.

What is bentazon?

Also known as: Bentazone, Basagran, Bendioxide, Leader.

CAS number
25057-89-0
Molecular formula
C10H12N2O3S
Molecular weight
240.28 g/mol
SMILES
CC(C)N1C(=O)C2=CC=CC=C2NS1(=O)=O
PubChem CID
2328

Risk for babies

High risk

Infants face elevated risk from Bentazon through dietary residues and environmental drift. Developing organ systems and immature detoxification capacity increase vulnerability.

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

High risk

Prenatal exposure to Bentazon is a concern due to potential endocrine disruption and developmental toxicity. Agricultural communities show higher gestational exposure through drinking water.

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

1 regulatory bodyhas classified Bentazon.

AgencyYearClassificationNotes
Unknown——

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 bentazon

  • Agricultural Products — crop treatment

Safer alternatives

Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to Bentazon:

  • Organic mulching; Mechanical weeding; IPM
    Trade-offs: Labor-intensive; effective for small-scale or precision applications; no chemical residues; not scalable to large commercial operations without significant cost increase.
    Relative cost: 2-5× conventional

Frequently asked questions

Is bentazon safe for kids?

Infants face elevated risk from Bentazon through dietary residues and environmental drift. Developing organ systems and immature detoxification capacity increase vulnerability.

What products contain bentazon?

Bentazon appears in: crop treatment (Agricultural products).

What should I do if my child is exposed to bentazon?

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 Bentazon in the baby app

Look up products containing bentazon, compare to alternatives, and explore the full data record.

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Sources (1)
  1. PubChem (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 →