Baby Safety / Compounds / Fluoranthene

Is Fluoranthene safe for babies and kids?

Context-dependent for kids

(Babies-specific data is limited; this page draws from human pregnant context.) Pregnancy alters the metabolism and distribution of Fluoranthene, potentially increasing fetal exposure. The developing embryo/fetus is vulnerable during organogenesis (weeks 3-8) and neurological development. Placental transfer should be assumed.

What is fluoranthene?

Also known as: Idryl, 1,2-Benzacenaphthene, Benzo(jk)fluorene, Benzo[jk]fluorene.

IUPAC name
fluoranthene
CAS number
206-44-0
Molecular formula
C16H10
Molecular weight
202.25 g/mol
SMILES
C1=CC=C2C(=C1)C3=CC=CC4=C3C2=CC=C4
PubChem CID
9154

Risk for babies

Context-dependent

Pregnancy alters the metabolism and distribution of Fluoranthene, 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.

Risk for pregnant and nursing people

Context-dependent

Pregnancy alters the metabolism and distribution of Fluoranthene, 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

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

AgencyYearClassificationNotes
IARC—Group 3
US EPA—Carcinogenic/MCL classified
EPA CTX / IRIS—D (Not classifiable as to human carcinogenicity)
EPA CTX / IARC—Group 3 - Not classifiable as to its carcinogenicity to humans
EPA CTX / Genetox—Genotoxicity: positive (Ames: None, 2 positive / 1 negative reports)
EPA CTX / Genetox—Genotoxicity: positive (Ames: None, 2 positive / 1 negative reports)
EPA CTX / Skin-Eye—Eye Irritation: Serious eye damage/eye irritation - 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 fluoranthene

  • 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 Fluoranthene:

  • Exposure reduction (combustion byproduct)
    Trade-offs: Removes 95-99% of dissolved contaminants including metals, PFAS, nitrates; wastes 2-4 gallons per gallon produced (improving with newer systems); removes beneficial minerals; $0.05-0.25/gallon; requires pre-treatment for longevity.
    Relative cost: 1.2-2×

Frequently asked questions

What products contain fluoranthene?

Fluoranthene appears in: Manufacturing plants (Industrial facilities); Chemical storage areas (Industrial facilities); Factories (Occupational environments); Warehouses (Occupational environments).

Why do regulators disagree about fluoranthene?

Fluoranthene has been classified by 7 agencies including IARC, US EPA, EPA CTX / IRIS, EPA CTX / IARC, 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 Fluoranthene in the baby app

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

Open in baby View raw API data

Sources (2)
  1. IARC Monographs Volume 92: Some Non-heterocyclic Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Some Related Exposures — Fluoranthene: Group 3 (Not Classifiable) (2010) — regulatory
  2. US EPA: 16 Priority Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons — Environmental Monitoring, Sediment Quality Criteria, Phototoxicity, and Source Apportionment Methods (2003) — 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 →