Baby Safety / Compounds / MCPA

Is MCPA safe for babies and kids?

High risk for kids

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

What is mcpa?

Also known as: 2-METHYL-4-CHLOROPHENOXYACETIC ACID, (4-Chloro-2-methylphenoxy)acetic acid, Zelan, Mephanac.

CAS number
94-74-6
Molecular formula
C9H9ClO3
Molecular weight
200.62 g/mol
SMILES
CC1=C(C=CC(=C1)Cl)OCC(=O)O
PubChem CID
7204

Risk for babies

High risk

Infants face elevated risk from MCPA 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 MCPA.

AgencyYearClassificationNotes
EDC Assessment—Suspected 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 mcpa

  • Agricultural Products — crop treatment

Safer alternatives

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

  • 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 mcpa safe for kids?

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

What products contain mcpa?

MCPA appears in: crop treatment (Agricultural products).

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

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 MCPA in the baby app

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

Open in baby View raw API data

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 →