Baby Safety / Compounds / Endosulfan

Is Endosulfan safe for babies and kids?

Elevated risk for kids

Infants accumulate Endosulfan through breast milk (bioconcentration), placental transfer, and dust ingestion. Persistent pollutants concentrate in fatty tissues with extended half-lives in developing organisms.

What is endosulfan?

The IUPAC name is 1,9,10,11,12,12-hexachloro-4,6-dioxa-5lambda4-thiatricyclo[7.2.1.02,8]dodec-10-ene 5-oxide.

Also known as: 1,9,10,11,12,12-hexachloro-4,6-dioxa-5lambda4-thiatricyclo[7.2.1.02,8]dodec-10-ene 5-oxide, Benzoepin, Thiodan, Thionex.

IUPAC name
1,9,10,11,12,12-hexachloro-4,6-dioxa-5lambda4-thiatricyclo[7.2.1.02,8]dodec-10-ene 5-oxide
CAS number
115-29-7
Molecular formula
C9H6Cl6O3S
Molecular weight
406.9 g/mol
SMILES
C1C2C(COS(=O)O1)C3(C(=C(C2(C3(Cl)Cl)Cl)Cl)Cl)Cl
PubChem CID
3224

Risk for babies

Elevated risk

Infants accumulate Endosulfan through breast milk (bioconcentration), placental transfer, and dust ingestion. Persistent pollutants concentrate in fatty tissues with extended half-lives in developing organisms.

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

High risk

Endosulfan persists in maternal adipose tissue and is mobilized during pregnancy and lactation. Lipophilic pollutants concentrate in breast milk and cross the placenta during critical developmental windows.

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

4 regulatory and scientific bodies have classified Endosulfan. The classifications differ — that's the data.

AgencyYearClassificationNotes
UNEP—Persistent Organic Pollutant (POP)
EPA CTX / EPA OPP—Not Likely to Be Carcinogenic in Humans
EPA CTX / Genetox—Genotoxicity: negative (Ames: negative, 0 positive / 1 negative reports)
EPA CTX / Genetox—Genotoxicity: negative (Ames: negative, 0 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 endosulfan

  • 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 Endosulfan:

  • Physical/mechanical pest control (IPM)
    Trade-offs: More labor-intensive. May not be sufficient for severe infestations.
    Relative cost: 1.2-2×

Frequently asked questions

Is endosulfan safe for kids?

Infants accumulate Endosulfan through breast milk (bioconcentration), placental transfer, and dust ingestion. Persistent pollutants concentrate in fatty tissues with extended half-lives in developing organisms.

What products contain endosulfan?

Endosulfan 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 endosulfan?

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 endosulfan?

Endosulfan has been classified by 4 agencies including UNEP, EPA CTX / EPA OPP, 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 Endosulfan in the baby app

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

Open in baby View raw API data

Sources (3)
  1. Stockholm Convention COP5: Endosulfan Added to Annex A (Elimination) with Specific Exemptions — Global Phase-Out Timeline, Agricultural Worker Deaths, Environmental Persistence Assessment (2011) — regulatory
  2. US EPA: Endosulfan Phase-Out Agreement with Makhteshim Agan — Aquatic Life Risk, Worker Safety, Agricultural Worker Poisonings in Developing Countries, Ecological Risk Assessment (2010) — regulatory
  3. Government of Kerala / National Institute of Occupational Health: Health Effects of Endosulfan Aerial Spraying in Kasargod District, Kerala — Congenital Malformations, Neurological Disorders, Epidemiological Investigation (2001) — 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 →