Baby Safety / Compounds / Toxaphene

Is Toxaphene safe for babies and kids?

Moderate risk for kids

Infants accumulate Toxaphene through breast milk (bioconcentration), placental transfer, and dust ingestion. Persistent pollutants concentrate in fatty tissues with extended half-lives in developing organisms.

What is toxaphene?

The IUPAC name is 1,4,5,6,7,7-hexachloro-2,2-bis(chloromethyl)-3-methylidenebicyclo[2.2.1]heptane.

Also known as: 1,4,5,6,7,7-hexachloro-2,2-bis(chloromethyl)-3-methylidenebicyclo[2.2.1]heptane, Toxaphen, Camphechlore, Camphochlor.

IUPAC name
1,4,5,6,7,7-hexachloro-2,2-bis(chloromethyl)-3-methylidenebicyclo[2.2.1]heptane
CAS number
8001-35-2
Molecular formula
C10H8Cl8
Molecular weight
411.8 g/mol
SMILES
C=C1C(C2(C(C(C1(C2(Cl)Cl)Cl)Cl)Cl)Cl)(CCl)CCl
PubChem CID
5284469

Risk for babies

Moderate risk

Infants accumulate Toxaphene through breast milk (bioconcentration), placental transfer, and dust ingestion. Persistent pollutants concentrate in fatty tissues with extended half-lives in developing organisms.

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

Elevated risk

Toxaphene persists in maternal adipose tissue and is mobilized during pregnancy and lactation. Lipophilic pollutants concentrate in breast milk and cross the placenta during critical developmental windows.

Suspected reproductive toxicant (GHS H361) or suspected endocrine disruptor. Precautionary approach warranted. Animal studies or limited human data suggest developmental toxicity potential.

What to do: Minimize exposure during pregnancy and lactation. Consult healthcare provider regarding specific risks. Consider alternative products with lower hazard profiles.

Regulatory consensus

11 regulatory and scientific bodies have classified Toxaphene. The classifications differ — that's the data.

AgencyYearClassificationNotes
UNEP—Persistent Organic Pollutant (POP)
EPA CTX / NIOSH—potential occupational carcinogen
EPA CTX / IRIS—B2 (Probable human carcinogen - based on sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in animals)
EPA CTX / NTP RoC—Reasonably Anticipated to be a Human Carcinogen
EPA CTX / IARC—Group 2B - Possibly carcinogenic to humans
EPA CTX / EPA OPP—Group B2 Probable Human Carcinogen
EPA CTX / CalEPA—Known human carcinogen
EPA CTX / Genetox—Genotoxicity: positive (Ames: positive, 4 positive / 0 negative reports)
EPA CTX / Genetox—Genotoxicity: positive (Ames: positive, 4 positive / 0 negative reports)
EPA CTX / Skin-Eye—Skin Irritation: Skin Irrit. 2 (score: high)
EPA CTX / Skin-Eye—Skin Irritation: Not classified (score: low)

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 toxaphene

  • Industrial Facilities — Manufacturing plants, Chemical storage areas, Waste treatment sites
  • Occupational Environments — Factories, Warehouses, Transportation vehicles

Safer alternatives

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

  • Physical/mechanical pest control (IPM)
    Trade-offs: More labor-intensive. May not be sufficient for severe infestations.
    Relative cost: 1.2-2×

Frequently asked questions

Is toxaphene safe for kids?

Infants accumulate Toxaphene through breast milk (bioconcentration), placental transfer, and dust ingestion. Persistent pollutants concentrate in fatty tissues with extended half-lives in developing organisms.

What products contain toxaphene?

Toxaphene appears in: Manufacturing plants (Industrial facilities); Chemical storage areas (Industrial facilities); Factories (Occupational environments); Warehouses (Occupational environments).

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

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 toxaphene?

Toxaphene has been classified by 11 agencies including UNEP, EPA CTX / NIOSH, EPA CTX / IRIS, EPA CTX / NTP RoC, EPA CTX / IARC, 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 Toxaphene in the baby app

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

Open in baby View raw API data

Sources (1)
  1. IARC Monographs Volume 79: Some Thyrotropic Agents — Chlordane Group 2B; Heptachlor Group 2B; Hexachlorobenzene Group 2B; Mirex Group 2B; Toxaphene Group 2B (2001) (2001) — regulatory

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 →