Baby Safety / Compounds / Hydrazine

Is Hydrazine 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 Hydrazine, 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 hydrazine?

Also known as: Levoxine, Hydrazine base, Oxytreat 35, Nitrogen hydride.

IUPAC name
hydrazine
CAS number
302-01-2
Molecular formula
H4N2
Molecular weight
32.046 g/mol
SMILES
NN
PubChem CID
9321

Risk for babies

Context-dependent

Pregnancy alters the metabolism and distribution of Hydrazine, 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 Hydrazine, 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

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

AgencyYearClassificationNotes
IARC1999Group 2A
US EPA1999likely human carcinogen
EPA CTX / NIOSHpotential occupational carcinogen
EPA CTX / IRISB2 (Probable human carcinogen - based on sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in animals)
EPA CTX / NTP RoCReasonably Anticipated to be a Human Carcinogen
EPA CTX / IARCGroup 2A - Probably carcinogenic to humans
EPA CTX / CalEPAKnown human carcinogen
EPA CTX / GenetoxGenotoxicity: positive (Ames: positive, 12 positive / 3 negative reports)
EPA CTX / GenetoxGenotoxicity: positive (Ames: positive, 12 positive / 3 negative reports)
EPA CTX / Skin-EyeSkin Irritation: Skin Corr. 1B (score: very high)
EPA CTX / Skin-EyeSkin Sensitization: Skin Sens. 1 (score: high)
EPA CTX / Skin-EyeSkin Sensitization: Sh (score: high)
EPA CTX / Skin-EyeSkin Irritation: Skin corrosion/irritation - Category 1 (score: very high)
EPA CTX / Skin-EyeSkin Sensitization: Skin sensitization - Category 1 (score: high)
EPA CTX / Skin-EyeEye Irritation: Category 1 (score: very high)
EPA CTX / Skin-EyeSkin Irritation: Category 1 (score: very high)
EPA CTX / Skin-EyeSkin Sensitization: Category 1 (score: high)
EPA CTX / Skin-EyeEye Irritation: Eye Dam. 1 (score: very high)
EPA CTX / Skin-EyeSkin Irritation: Skin Corr. 1B (score: very high)
EPA CTX / Skin-EyeSkin Sensitization: Skin Sens. 1 (score: high)
EPA CTX / Skin-EyeEye Irritation: Category 8.3A (Category 1) (score: very high)
EPA CTX / Skin-EyeSkin Irritation: Category 8.2A (Category 1A) (score: very high)
EPA CTX / Skin-EyeSkin Sensitization: Category 6.5B (Category 1) (score: moderate)
EPA CTX / Skin-Eyeskin irritation: in vivo: Studies Indicate No Significant Irritation (score: low)
EPA CTX / Skin-Eyeeye irritation: in vivo: Studies Indicate No Significant Irritation (score: low)

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 hydrazine

  • Industrial FacilitiesManufacturing plants, Chemical storage areas, Waste treatment sites
  • Occupational EnvironmentsFactories, Warehouses, Transportation vehicles

Safer alternatives

Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to Hydrazine:

  • Phosphate-free corrosion inhibitors (molybdate, silicate)
    Trade-offs: Higher cost. May be less effective in some aggressive environments.
    Relative cost: 1.2-2×

Frequently asked questions

What products contain hydrazine?

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

Why do regulators disagree about hydrazine?

Hydrazine has been classified by 25 agencies including IARC, US EPA, EPA CTX / NIOSH, EPA CTX / IRIS, EPA CTX / NTP RoC, 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 Hydrazine in the baby app

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

Open in baby View raw API data

Sources (3)

  1. IARC Monographs Volume 71: Hydrazine — Group 2A; Lung Tumors in Mice; Hepatic Tumors in Rats; Aerospace and Boiler Worker Exposure; Isoniazid Metabolic Connection (1999) — iarc_monograph
  2. NIOSH: Hydrazine — REL 0.03 ppm Ceiling; Carcinogen Classification; Corrosivity; CNS Toxicity; Aerospace Propellant Hazards (1978) — regulatory
  3. ATSDR Toxicological Profile: Hydrazine, 1,1-Dimethylhydrazine, 1,2-Dimethylhydrazine — Carcinogenicity, Hepatotoxicity, Hemolytic Anemia, Aquatic Toxicity, Aerospace Exposure (1997) — 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 →