Baby Safety / Compounds / cis-1,4-Polyisoprene

Is cis-1,4-Polyisoprene safe for babies and kids?

Severe risk for kids

Infants may be exposed to cis-1,4-Polyisoprene through residual monomer migration from food-contact plastics, bottles, and packaging. Immature hepatic conjugation and renal clearance prolong internal exposure.

What is cis-1,4-polyisoprene?

The IUPAC name is 2-methylbuta-1,3-diene.

Also known as: 2-methylbuta-1,3-diene, ISOPRENE, 2-Methyl-1,3-butadiene, Isopentadiene.

IUPAC name
2-methylbuta-1,3-diene
CAS number
9006-04-6
Molecular formula
C5H8
Molecular weight
68.12 g/mol
SMILES
CC(=C)C=C
PubChem CID
6557

Risk for babies

Severe risk

Infants may be exposed to cis-1,4-Polyisoprene through residual monomer migration from food-contact plastics, bottles, and packaging. Immature hepatic conjugation and renal clearance prolong internal exposure.

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

Prenatal exposure to residual cis-1,4-Polyisoprene from food-contact materials is a concern due to potential developmental toxicity. Monomers may leach from plastics at elevated temperatures.

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

2 regulatory and scientific bodies have classified cis-1,4-Polyisoprene. The classifications differ — that's the data.

AgencyYearClassificationNotes
EPA CTX / GenetoxGenotoxicity: positive (Ames: positive, 8 positive / 1 negative reports)
EPA CTX / GenetoxGenotoxicity: positive (Ames: positive, 8 positive / 1 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 cis-1,4-polyisoprene

  • Industrial FacilitiesManufacturing plants, Waste treatment sites
  • Occupational EnvironmentsFactories, Warehouses

Safer alternatives

Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to cis-1,4-Polyisoprene:

  • Calcium carbonate or kaolin fillers
    Trade-offs: Different performance characteristics than specialty fillers.
    Relative cost: 1.2-2×

Frequently asked questions

Is cis-1,4-polyisoprene safe for kids?

Infants may be exposed to cis-1,4-Polyisoprene through residual monomer migration from food-contact plastics, bottles, and packaging. Immature hepatic conjugation and renal clearance prolong internal exposure.

What products contain cis-1,4-polyisoprene?

cis-1,4-Polyisoprene appears in: Manufacturing plants (Industrial facilities); Waste treatment sites (Industrial facilities); Factories (Occupational environments); Warehouses (Occupational environments).

What should I do if my child is exposed to cis-1,4-polyisoprene?

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 cis-1,4-Polyisoprene in the baby app

Look up products containing cis-1,4-polyisoprene, compare to alternatives, and explore the full data record.

Open in baby View raw API data

Sources (3)

  1. PubChem Compound CID 6557 — database
  2. EPA CompTox Chemicals Dashboard — DTXSID20107787 — epa
  3. ATSDR Toxicological Profile — CAS 9006-04-6 — reference

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 →