Baby Safety / Compounds / Cadmium sulfide

Is Cadmium sulfide safe for babies and kids?

Context-dependent for kids

Infants are more vulnerable to Cadmium sulfide 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 cadmium sulfide?

The IUPAC name is sulfanylidenecadmium.

Also known as: sulfanylidenecadmium, Cadmium sulphide, Cadmium Yellow, Greenockite.

IUPAC name
sulfanylidenecadmium
CAS number
1306-23-6
Molecular formula
CdS
Molecular weight
144.48 g/mol
SMILES
S=[Cd]
PubChem CID
14783

Risk for babies

Context-dependent

Infants are more vulnerable to Cadmium sulfide 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 Cadmium sulfide, potentially increasing fetal exposure. The developing embryo/fetus is vulnerable during organogenesis (weeks 3-8) and neurological development. Placental transfer should be assumed.

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

2 regulatory and scientific bodies have classified Cadmium sulfide. The classifications differ — that's the data.

AgencyYearClassificationNotes
EPA CTX / Genetox—Genotoxicity: positive (Ames: None, 2 positive / 0 negative reports)
EPA CTX / Genetox—Genotoxicity: positive (Ames: None, 2 positive / 0 negative reports)

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 cadmium sulfide

  • Contaminated Water — Mining site runoff, Industrial discharge areas, Drinking water from old infrastructure
  • Soil Contamination — Industrial sites, Smelter areas, Battery recycling facilities
  • Food Chain — Fish from contaminated waters, Shellfish from polluted areas, Crops grown in contaminated soil

Safer alternatives

Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to Cadmium sulfide:

  • Mineral-based or plant-derived pigments
    Trade-offs: Narrower color range. May fade faster than synthetic pigments.
    Relative cost: 1.2-2×

Frequently asked questions

Is cadmium sulfide safe for kids?

Infants are more vulnerable to Cadmium sulfide 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 cadmium sulfide?

Cadmium sulfide appears in: Mining site runoff (Contaminated water); Industrial discharge areas (Contaminated water); Industrial sites (Soil contamination); Smelter areas (Soil contamination); Fish from contaminated waters (Food chain).

What should I do if my child is exposed to cadmium sulfide?

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 Cadmium sulfide in the baby app

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

Open in baby View raw API data

Sources (4)
  1. IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risk to Humans — Cadmium and Cadmium Compounds (1993) — regulatory
  2. Occupational Cadmium Exposure and Lung Cancer Risk in Artists and Industrial Workers (2015) — journal
  3. ASTM D4236 — Standard Practice for Labeling Art Materials for Chronic Health Hazards (2023) — regulatory
  4. EU Cadmium Directive 2006/121/EC — Exemption for Art Materials (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 →