Baby Safety / Compounds / Linuron

Is Linuron safe for babies and kids?

High risk for kids

Infants face elevated risk from Linuron through dietary residues and environmental drift. Developing organ systems and immature detoxification capacity increase vulnerability.

What is linuron?

Also known as: 3-(3,4-Dichlorophenyl)-1-methoxy-1-methylurea, Afalon, Methoxydiuron, Cephalon.

CAS number
330-55-2
Molecular formula
C9H10Cl2N2O2
Molecular weight
249.09 g/mol
SMILES
CN(C(=O)NC1=CC(=C(C=C1)Cl)Cl)OC
PubChem CID
9502

Risk for babies

High risk

Infants face elevated risk from Linuron through dietary residues and environmental drift. Developing organ systems and immature detoxification capacity increase vulnerability.

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

Regulatory consensus

1 regulatory bodyhas classified Linuron.

AgencyYearClassificationNotes
EDC Assessment—Confirmed endocrine disruptor

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 linuron

  • Agricultural Products — crop treatment

Safer alternatives

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

  • Organic mulching; Mechanical weeding; IPM
    Trade-offs: Labor-intensive; effective for small-scale or precision applications; no chemical residues; not scalable to large commercial operations without significant cost increase.
    Relative cost: 2-5× conventional

Frequently asked questions

Is linuron safe for kids?

Infants face elevated risk from Linuron through dietary residues and environmental drift. Developing organ systems and immature detoxification capacity increase vulnerability.

What products contain linuron?

Linuron appears in: crop treatment (Agricultural products).

What should I do if my child is exposed to linuron?

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 Linuron in the baby app

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

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Sources (1)
  1. PubChem (2026) — database

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 →