Baby Safety / Compounds / Benzophenone-2 (BP-2)

Is Benzophenone-2 (BP-2) safe for babies and kids?

High risk for kids

Infants are more vulnerable to Benzophenone-2 (BP-2) 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 benzophenone-2 (bp-2)?

CAS number
131-55-5
Molecular formula
C13H10O5
Molecular weight
246.22 g/mol
SMILES
C1=C(C=C(C(=C1O)O)O)C(=O)C2=CC(=C(C(=C2)O)O)O
PubChem CID
8571

Risk for babies

High risk

Infants are more vulnerable to Benzophenone-2 (BP-2) 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

Elevated risk

Multiple endocrine axes affected.

Regulatory consensus

2 regulatory and scientific bodies have classified Benzophenone-2 (BP-2). The classifications differ — that's the data.

AgencyYearClassificationNotes
EU2017Restricted in cosmetics — max 0.1%
Hawaii2021Banned in sunscreens

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 benzophenone-2 (bp-2)

  • Consumer Product

Safer alternatives

Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to Benzophenone-2 (BP-2):

  • Zinc oxide
    Trade-offs: Alternative approach; specific tradeoffs depend on application context, scale, and regulatory requirements. Full hazard assessment of alternative recommended before adoption to avoid regrettable substitution.
    Relative cost: 1.2-2×
  • Tinosorb S
    Trade-offs: Alternative approach; specific tradeoffs depend on application context, scale, and regulatory requirements. Full hazard assessment of alternative recommended before adoption to avoid regrettable substitution.
    Relative cost: 1.2-2×

Frequently asked questions

Is benzophenone-2 (bp-2) safe for kids?

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

What should I do if my child is exposed to benzophenone-2 (bp-2)?

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 Benzophenone-2 (BP-2) in the baby app

Look up products containing benzophenone-2 (bp-2), compare to alternatives, and explore the full data record.

Open in baby View raw API data

Sources (1)
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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 →