Baby Safety / Compounds / Maleic anhydride

Is Maleic anhydride 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 Maleic anhydride, 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 maleic anhydride?

The IUPAC name is 2,5-furandione.

Also known as: 2,5-furandione, furan-2,5-dione, Toxilic anhydride, Maleic acid anhydride.

IUPAC name
2,5-furandione
CAS number
108-31-6
Molecular formula
C4H2O3
Molecular weight
98.06 g/mol
SMILES
C1=CC(=O)OC1=O
PubChem CID
7923

Risk for babies

Context-dependent

Pregnancy alters the metabolism and distribution of Maleic anhydride, 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 Maleic anhydride, 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

3 regulatory and scientific bodies have classified Maleic anhydride. The classifications differ — that's the data.

AgencyYearClassificationNotes
OSHA——
ACGIH——
ECHA——

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 maleic anhydride

  • unsaturated polyester resin (UPR) production
  • maleic acid production
  • polyester coatings

Safer alternatives

Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to Maleic anhydride:

  • Itaconic acid (bio-based)
    Trade-offs: Lower reactivity. Bio-derived (Aspergillus fermentation). Less established supply chain.
    Relative cost: 2-3×
  • Succinic anhydride
    Trade-offs: Lower reactivity for Diels-Alder reactions. Different ring-opening polymer properties.
    Relative cost: 1.5×

Frequently asked questions

What products contain maleic anhydride?

Maleic anhydride appears in: unsaturated polyester resin (UPR) production; maleic acid production; polyester coatings.

See Maleic anhydride in the baby app

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

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Sources (1)
  1. ATSDR Toxicological Profile — CAS 108-31-6 — reference

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 →