Baby Safety / Compounds / Brevetoxin B

Is Brevetoxin B safe for babies and kids?

High risk for kids

Infants are highly susceptible to Brevetoxin B due to lower body weight, immature detoxification pathways, and dietary exposure through contaminated grains or breast milk.

What is brevetoxin b?

The IUPAC name is 2-[[(1S,3R,4S,6S,8R,10R,12S,16R,18S,20R,22S,24Z,27R,29S,33R,35S,37R,39R,41S,42S,44R,46S,48R,49Z)-41-hydroxy-4,8,10,46-tetramethyl-14-oxo-2,7,13,17,21,28,34,38,43,47-decaoxadecacyclo[25.24.0.03,22.06,20.08,18.012,16.029,48.033,46.035,44.037,42]henpentaconta-24,49-dien-39-yl]methyl]prop-2-enal.

Also known as: 2-[[(1S,3R,4S,6S,8R,10R,12S,16R,18S,20R,22S,24Z,27R,29S,33R,35S,37R,39R,41S,42S,44R,46S,48R,49Z)-41-hydroxy-4,8,10,46-tetramethyl-14-oxo-2,7,13,17,21,28,34,38,43,47-decaoxadecacyclo[25.24.0.03,22.06,20.08,18.012,16.029,48.033,46.035,44.037,42]henpentaconta-24,49-dien-39-yl]methyl]prop-2-enal, Brevetoxin A, Brevetoxin PbTx 1, Ptychodiscus brevis toxin 1.

IUPAC name
2-[[(1S,3R,4S,6S,8R,10R,12S,16R,18S,20R,22S,24Z,27R,29S,33R,35S,37R,39R,41S,42S,44R,46S,48R,49Z)-41-hydroxy-4,8,10,46-tetramethyl-14-oxo-2,7,13,17,21,28,34,38,43,47-decaoxadecacyclo[25.24.0.03,22.06,20.08,18.012,16.029,48.033,46.035,44.037,42]henpentaconta-24,49-dien-39-yl]methyl]prop-2-enal
CAS number
98112-41-5
Molecular formula
C49H70O13
Molecular weight
867.1 g/mol
SMILES
CC1CC2C(CC(=O)O2)OC3CC4C(CC(C5C(O4)CC=CCC6C(O5)CC=CC7C(O6)CCCC8C(O7)(CC9C(O8)CC2C(O9)C(CC(O2)CC(=C)C=O)O)C)C)OC3(C1)C
PubChem CID
10865808

Risk for babies

High risk

Infants are highly susceptible to Brevetoxin B due to lower body weight, immature detoxification pathways, and dietary exposure through contaminated grains or breast milk.

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 Brevetoxin B, 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

1 regulatory bodyhas classified Brevetoxin B.

AgencyYearClassificationNotes
NSSP/FDA—0.8 mg brevetoxin equivalents/kg shellfish tissueNSP regulatory limit

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 brevetoxin b

  • 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 Brevetoxin B:

  • Avoidance (no chemical substitute)
    Trade-offs: Direct chemical substitution requires verification that the replacement does not introduce new hazards (regrettable substitution). Conduct full hazard assessment of proposed alternative before adoption.
    Relative cost: 1.2-2×

Frequently asked questions

Is brevetoxin b safe for kids?

Infants are highly susceptible to Brevetoxin B due to lower body weight, immature detoxification pathways, and dietary exposure through contaminated grains or breast milk.

What products contain brevetoxin b?

Brevetoxin B 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 brevetoxin b?

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 Brevetoxin B in the baby app

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

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Sources (2)
  1. US FDA/CFSAN: Neurotoxic Shellfish Poisoning (NSP) — Brevetoxin, Karenia brevis, Regulatory Limit (0.8 mg/kg), NSP Monitoring, and Comparison with Ciguatoxin Mechanism (2022) (2022) — regulatory
  2. NOAA: Karenia brevis and Florida Red Tide — Bloom Monitoring, Respiratory Health Effects of Aerosolized Brevetoxin, Fish and Manatee Mortality Events, and Gulf Coast Early Warning System (2023) (2023) — 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 →