Baby Safety / Compounds / Metam sodium

Is Metam sodium safe for babies and kids?

Context-dependent for kids

Infants are more vulnerable to Metam sodium than children or adults due to immature hepatic/renal clearance, higher intake-to-body-weight ratio, rapid organ development, and increased gastrointestinal absorption.

What is metam sodium?

Also known as: Metam-sodium, Carbathione, Carbothion, Metamsodium.

CAS number
137-42-8
Molecular formula
C2H4NNaS2
Molecular weight
129.18 g/mol
SMILES
CNC(=S)[S-].[Na+]
PubChem CID
5366415

Risk for babies

Context-dependent

Infants are more vulnerable to Metam sodium than children or adults due to immature hepatic/renal clearance, higher intake-to-body-weight ratio, rapid organ development, and increased gastrointestinal absorption.

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 Metam sodium.

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 metam sodium

  • Consumer Products — various

Safer alternatives

Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to Metam sodium:

  • Solarization; Steam sterilization
    Trade-offs: Alternative approach; specific tradeoffs depend on application context, scale, and regulatory requirements. Full hazard assessment of alternative recommended before adoption to avoid regrettable substitution.
    Relative cost: 1.2-2×

Frequently asked questions

Is metam sodium safe for kids?

Infants are more vulnerable to Metam sodium than children or adults due to immature hepatic/renal clearance, higher intake-to-body-weight ratio, rapid organ development, and increased gastrointestinal absorption.

What products contain metam sodium?

Metam sodium appears in: various (Consumer products).

What should I do if my child is exposed to metam sodium?

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 Metam sodium in the baby app

Look up products containing metam sodium, 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 →