Baby Safety / Compounds / Tonalide (AHTN)

Is Tonalide (AHTN) safe for babies and kids?

High risk for kids

Infants are more vulnerable to Tonalide (AHTN) 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 tonalide (ahtn)?

The IUPAC name is 1-(3,5,5,6,8,8-hexamethyl-6,7-dihydronaphthalen-2-yl)ethanone.

Also known as: 1-(3,5,5,6,8,8-hexamethyl-6,7-dihydronaphthalen-2-yl)ethanone, Tonalide, Tonalid, Tetralide.

IUPAC name
1-(3,5,5,6,8,8-hexamethyl-6,7-dihydronaphthalen-2-yl)ethanone
CAS number
21145-77-7
Molecular formula
C18H26O
Molecular weight
258.4 g/mol
SMILES
CC1CC(C2=C(C1(C)C)C=C(C(=C2)C(=O)C)C)(C)C
PubChem CID
89440

Risk for babies

High risk

Infants are more vulnerable to Tonalide (AHTN) 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

High risk

Prenatal exposure to Tonalide (AHTN) through personal care products may affect fetal development. Some fragrance chemicals are sensitizers or endocrine-active compounds with transplacental transfer.

Known reproductive toxicant (GHS H360) or confirmed endocrine disruptor. Placental transfer is presumed. Fetal exposure during critical developmental windows may cause structural malformations, growth restriction, or functional deficits.

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 Tonalide (AHTN). The classifications differ — that's the data.

AgencyYearClassificationNotes
EDC Assessment2024Suspected endocrine disruptor
IFRA2020restrictionIFRA restriction — environmental persistence
EU_REACH2020CoRAPCoRAP evaluation — environmental EDC

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 tonalide (ahtn)

  • Personal Care — perfume, deodorant, lotion, shampoo, soap
  • Consumer Products — detergent, air freshener, fabric softener
  • Fragrance — perfume, cologne, scented personal care products, household fragrance products, candles
    Identified in Fragrance Ingredient Safety Priority Research database (2,325 ingredients)

Safer alternatives

Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to Tonalide (AHTN):

  • Ethylene brassylate
    Trade-offs: Alternative fragrance ingredient; individual safety profile should be assessed per IFRA standards; sensitization potential varies by compound; patch testing recommended for sensitive individuals.
    Relative cost: 1.2-2×
  • Habanolide
    Trade-offs: Alternative fragrance ingredient; individual safety profile should be assessed per IFRA standards; sensitization potential varies by compound; patch testing recommended for sensitive individuals.
    Relative cost: 1.2-2×
  • Exaltolide
    Trade-offs: Alternative fragrance ingredient; individual safety profile should be assessed per IFRA standards; sensitization potential varies by compound; patch testing recommended for sensitive individuals.
    Relative cost: 1.2-2×

Frequently asked questions

Is tonalide (ahtn) safe for kids?

Infants are more vulnerable to Tonalide (AHTN) 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 tonalide (ahtn)?

Tonalide (AHTN) appears in: perfume (Personal care); deodorant (Personal care); detergent (Consumer products); air freshener (Consumer products); perfume (Fragrance).

What should I do if my child is exposed to tonalide (ahtn)?

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 tonalide (ahtn)?

Tonalide (AHTN) has been classified by 3 agencies including EDC Assessment, IFRA, EU_REACH, 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 Tonalide (AHTN) in the baby app

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

Open in baby View raw API data

Sources (1)
  1. PubChem Compound Database (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 →