Food & Drink / Compounds / Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA)

Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) in food: ingestion safety

Moderate risk

(People-specific data is limited; this page draws from human adult context.) TBBPA is the highest-production brominated flame retardant globally, used primarily as a reactive intermediate in printed circuit boards and as an additive FR in ABS plastics and textiles. TBBPA is ubiquitous in indoor environments: detected in indoor dust, electronic waste workers' serum, and general population blood at low ng/g lipid concentrations. The primary toxicological concern is thyroid hormone disruption: TBBPA competes with T4 for binding to transthyretin and thyroid hormone receptors (TR), inhibits thyroid peroxidase (TPO), and displaces T4 from albumin. ECHA evaluated TBBPA as a Substance of Very High Concern (SVHC) under REACH based on endocrine-disrupting properties (thyroid axis, reproductive/developmental). Human epidemiological evidence is limited but precautionary: rodent studies show thyroid hyperplasia, altered T3/T4 ratios, and immunotoxicity. Occupational exposure via dust inhalation in PCB manufacturing is the highest-exposure scenario. General adult exposure through diet (seafood, dairy), dust ingestion, and dermal contact with thermal paper and electronic products results in low serum concentrations. EFSA found no health concern at current dietary exposure. The risk at current background levels is moderate (precautionary), not high.

What is tetrabromobisphenol a (tbbpa)?

The IUPAC name is 2,6-dibromo-4-[2-(3,5-dibromo-4-hydroxyphenyl)propan-2-yl]phenol.

Also known as: 2,6-dibromo-4-[2-(3,5-dibromo-4-hydroxyphenyl)propan-2-yl]phenol, Tetrabromobisphenol A, 3,3',5,5'-Tetrabromobisphenol A, 4,4'-(propane-2,2-diyl)bis(2,6-dibromophenol).

IUPAC name
2,6-dibromo-4-[2-(3,5-dibromo-4-hydroxyphenyl)propan-2-yl]phenol
CAS number
79-94-7
Molecular formula
C15H12Br4O2
Molecular weight
543.9 g/mol
SMILES
CC(C)(C1=CC(=C(C(=C1)Br)O)Br)C2=CC(=C(C(=C2)Br)O)Br
PubChem CID
6618

Risk for people

Moderate risk

TBBPA is the highest-production brominated flame retardant globally, used primarily as a reactive intermediate in printed circuit boards and as an additive FR in ABS plastics and textiles. TBBPA is ubiquitous in indoor environments: detected in indoor dust, electronic waste workers' serum, and general population blood at low ng/g lipid concentrations. The primary toxicological concern is thyroid hormone disruption: TBBPA competes with T4 for binding to transthyretin and thyroid hormone receptors (TR), inhibits thyroid peroxidase (TPO), and displaces T4 from albumin. ECHA evaluated TBBPA as a Substance of Very High Concern (SVHC) under REACH based on endocrine-disrupting properties (thyroid axis, reproductive/developmental). Human epidemiological evidence is limited but precautionary: rodent studies show thyroid hyperplasia, altered T3/T4 ratios, and immunotoxicity. Occupational exposure via dust inhalation in PCB manufacturing is the highest-exposure scenario. General adult exposure through diet (seafood, dairy), dust ingestion, and dermal contact with thermal paper and electronic products results in low serum concentrations. EFSA found no health concern at current dietary exposure. The risk at current background levels is moderate (precautionary), not high.

Regulatory consensus

8 regulatory and scientific bodies have classified Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA). The classifications differ — that's the data.

AgencyYearClassificationNotes
EPA CTX / IARC—Group 2A - Probably carcinogenic to humans
EPA CTX / CalEPA—Known human carcinogen
EPA CTX / Genetox—Genotoxicity: negative (Ames: negative, 0 positive / 9 negative reports)
EPA CTX / Genetox—Genotoxicity: negative (Ames: negative, 0 positive / 9 negative reports)
EPA CTX / Skin-Eye—Skin Sensitization: SkinSens1 (score: high)
EPA CTX / Skin-Eye—Eye Irritation: Not classified (score: low)
EPA CTX / Skin-Eye—Skin Irritation: Not classified (score: low)
EPA CTX / Skin-Eye—skin irritation: in vivo: Studies Indicate No Significant Irritation (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 you encounter tetrabromobisphenol a (tbbpa)

  • Consumer Products — Plastic bottles and containers, Food packaging, Plastic toys and household items
  • Drinking Water — Leaching from plastic pipes, Migration from bottled water containers
  • Indoor Environments — Off-gassing from plastic furniture, Degradation of plastic products

Safer alternatives

Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA):

  • Inherently flame-resistant materials (wool, modacrylic, Nomex)
    Trade-offs: Higher material cost. Limited color/texture options.
    Relative cost: 2-4×
  • Barrier fabric technology
    Trade-offs: Adds manufacturing step and cost
    Relative cost: 1.2-2×

Frequently asked questions

What products contain tetrabromobisphenol a (tbbpa)?

Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) appears in: Plastic bottles and containers (Consumer products); Food packaging (Consumer products); Leaching from plastic pipes (Drinking water); Migration from bottled water containers (Drinking water); Off-gassing from plastic furniture (Indoor environments).

Why do regulators disagree about tetrabromobisphenol a (tbbpa)?

Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) has been classified by 8 agencies including EPA CTX / IARC, EPA CTX / CalEPA, EPA CTX / Genetox, EPA CTX / Genetox, EPA CTX / Skin-Eye, 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 Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) in the food app

Look up products containing tetrabromobisphenol a (tbbpa), compare to alternatives, and explore the full data record.

Open in food View raw API data

Sources (2)
  1. ECHA: Tetrabromobisphenol A — SVHC Identification (Endocrine Disrupting Properties, Thyroid Axis, REACH Article 57(f)), Background Document, ECHA-2014 (2014) (2014) — regulatory
  2. EFSA Scientific Opinion on Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA): Dietary Exposure Assessment, Thyroid Hormone Disruption, TDI 0.0017 mg/kg bw/day (2011) (2011) — 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 →