Baby Safety / Compounds / Lead (Pb)

Is Lead (Pb) safe for babies and kids?

Extreme risk for kids

Infants are extremely vulnerable to Lead (Pb) due to immature blood-brain barrier, higher gastrointestinal absorption rates (40-50% vs 3-10% in adults), and rapidly developing neurology. Even trace exposure can cause irreversible neurodevelopmental harm.

What is lead (pb)?

The IUPAC name is Lead.

Also known as: Lead, Plumbum, Lead metal, Pb.

IUPAC name: Lead
CAS number: 7439-92-1
Molecular formula: Pb
Molecular weight: 207.0 g/mol
SMILES: [Pb]
PubChem CID: 5352425

Risk for babies

Extreme risk

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

Lead crosses placenta freely; maternal bone resorption during pregnancy releases stored lead as endogenous source; associated with preterm birth, low birth weight, and fetal neurotoxicity.

Bone mobilization for fetal skeleton releases lifetime-accumulated lead into maternal blood, exposing fetus to historical exposures even if current external exposure is low.

Regulatory consensus

10 regulatory and scientific bodies have classified Lead (Pb). The classifications differ — that's the data.

Agency	Year	Classification	Notes
IARC	2006	Group 1 (carcinogenic to humans)	Inorganic lead compounds; lung and kidney cancer
US EPA	2004	Likely to be carcinogenic to humans	Lung and stomach cancer
EPA CTX / IRIS	—	B2 (Probable human carcinogen - based on sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in animals)
EPA CTX / NTP RoC	—	Reasonably Anticipated to be a Human Carcinogen
EPA CTX / IARC	—	Group 2B - Possibly carcinogenic to humans
EPA CTX / Genetox	—	Genotoxicity: negative (Ames: None, 1 positive / 2 negative reports)
EPA CTX / Genetox	—	Genotoxicity: negative (Ames: None, 1 positive / 2 negative reports)
EPA CTX / Skin-Eye	—	skin irritation: in vivo: Studies Indicate No Significant Irritation (score: low)
EPA CTX / Skin-Eye	—	eye irritation: in vivo: Studies Indicate No Significant Irritation (score: low)
EPA CTX / Skin-Eye	—	skin sensitisation: in vivo (non-LLNA): Not likely to be sensitizing (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 lead (pb)

Drinking Water — Tap water from homes with lead pipes or solder, Water from old plumbing infrastructure, Groundwater near mining or industrial sites
Lead leaches from pipes, particularly in acidic water systems; EPA maximum contaminant level is 15 ppb
Consumer Products — Lead-based paint in older homes (pre-1978), Ceramic glazes and imported dishware, Some traditional remedies and cosmetics
Paint dust is major exposure source for children; imported products may lack regulatory oversight
Food — Seafood from contaminated waters, Root vegetables grown in lead-contaminated soil, Spices and herbal products from regions with high lead exposure
Lead bioaccumulates in aquatic organisms; soil contamination near industrial areas affects crops
Occupational Settings — Battery manufacturing and recycling facilities, Smelting and metal refining operations, Construction work involving lead paint removal
Workers face elevated exposure; highest risk in informal recycling operations in low-income countries
Environmental/Soil — Residential soil near abandoned industrial sites, Urban soil in areas with historical leaded gasoline use, Mining and smelting regions
Children at highest risk from soil ingestion; legacy contamination persists decades after exposure sources cease

Safer alternatives

Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to Lead (Pb):

Tin-silver-copper (SAC) solder
Trade-offs: Higher melting point. Tin whisker risk in some applications.

Relative cost: Lower (ingredient elimination)
Copper pipe (for plumbing)
Trade-offs: Higher material cost than lead solder joints

Relative cost: Lower (ingredient elimination)

Frequently asked questions

Is lead (pb) safe for kids?

What products contain lead (pb)?

Lead (Pb) appears in: Tap water from homes with lead pipes or solder (Drinking water); Water from old plumbing infrastructure (Drinking water); Lead-based paint in older homes (pre-1978) (Consumer products); Ceramic glazes and imported dishware (Consumer products); Seafood from contaminated waters (Food).

What should I do if my child is exposed to lead (pb)?

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 lead (pb)?

Lead (Pb) has been classified by 10 agencies including IARC, US EPA, EPA CTX / IRIS, EPA CTX / NTP RoC, EPA CTX / IARC, 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 Lead (Pb) in the baby app

Look up products containing lead (pb), compare to alternatives, and explore the full data record.

Open in baby View raw API data

Sources (8)

CDC - Lead Poisoning Prevention — cdc
WHO - Lead Poisoning Fact Sheet (2024) — who
IHME Global Burden of Disease Study 2021 - Lead Exposure — ihme
Angrand et al. Relation of blood lead levels and lead in gasoline: an updated systematic review (2022) — journal
Silbergeld et al. Lead and osteoporosis: mobilization of lead from bone in postmenopausal women (1988) — journal
Merck Veterinary Manual - Lead Poisoning — vet
ATSDR - Toxicological Profile for Lead — cdc
Reuben et al. Association of Childhood Lead Exposure With Adult Personality Traits and Lifelong Mental Health (2019) — journal

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 →