Baby Safety / Compounds / Bromoform (CHBr₃)

Is Bromoform (CHBr₃) safe for babies and kids?

Elevated risk for kids

Infants are more vulnerable to Bromoform (CHBr₃) 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 bromoform (chbr₃)?

The IUPAC name is bromoform.

Also known as: bromoform, tribromomethane, Methane, tribromo-, Tribrommethan.

IUPAC name
bromoform
CAS number
75-25-2
Molecular formula
CHBr3
Molecular weight
252.73 g/mol
SMILES
C(Br)(Br)Br
PubChem CID
5558

Risk for babies

Elevated risk

Infants are more vulnerable to Bromoform (CHBr₃) 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 Bromoform (CHBr₃), 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

11 regulatory and scientific bodies have classified Bromoform (CHBr₃). The classifications differ — that's the data.

AgencyYearClassificationNotes
EPA CTX / IRIS—B2 (Probable human carcinogen - based on sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in animals)
EPA CTX / IARC—Group 3 - Not classifiable as to its carcinogenicity to humans
EPA CTX / CalEPA—Known human carcinogen
EPA CTX / Genetox—Genotoxicity: positive (Ames: positive, 12 positive / 6 negative reports)
EPA CTX / Genetox—Genotoxicity: positive (Ames: positive, 12 positive / 6 negative reports)
EPA CTX / Skin-Eye—Eye Irritation: Eye Irrit. 2 (score: high)
EPA CTX / Skin-Eye—Skin Irritation: Skin Irrit. 2 (score: high)
EPA CTX / Skin-Eye—Eye Irritation: Category 2B (score: moderate)
EPA CTX / Skin-Eye—Skin Irritation: Category 2 (score: high)
EPA CTX / Skin-Eye—Eye Irritation: Category 6.4A (Category 2A) (score: high)
EPA CTX / Skin-Eye—Skin Irritation: Category 6.3A (Category 2) (score: high)

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 bromoform (chbr₃)

  • 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 Bromoform (CHBr₃):

  • Process controls to minimize degradant formation
    Trade-offs: Additional manufacturing cost
    Relative cost: 1.2-2×

Frequently asked questions

Is bromoform (chbr₃) safe for kids?

Infants are more vulnerable to Bromoform (CHBr₃) 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 bromoform (chbr₃)?

Bromoform (CHBr₃) 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 bromoform (chbr₃)?

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.

Why do regulators disagree about bromoform (chbr₃)?

Bromoform (CHBr₃) has been classified by 11 agencies including EPA CTX / IRIS, EPA CTX / IARC, EPA CTX / CalEPA, EPA CTX / Genetox, EPA CTX / Genetox, with differing conclusions. 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. See the regulatory consensus table on this page for the full picture.

See Bromoform (CHBr₃) in the baby app

Look up products containing bromoform (chbr₃), compare to alternatives, and explore the full data record.

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Sources (2)
  1. IARC Monographs Volume 52: Chlorinated Drinking-water; Chlorination By-products; Some Other Halogenated Compounds — Bromoform Group 2B, Chloroform Group 2B, BDCM Group 2A (1991) (1991) — regulatory
  2. US EPA: Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule (40 CFR Parts 141 and 142) — TTHM MCL 80 μg/L, HAA5 MCL 60 μg/L, Locational Running Annual Average, BDCM Cancer Risk Assessment, Bladder Cancer Epidemiology (2006) (2006) — 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 →