back global monitoring index
back to chemicals index
back to factsheets index|
|
back global monitoring indexback to chemicals indexback to factsheets index |
 |
IPEN Body Burden Community Monitoring Handbook PesticidesHexachlorocyclohexanes (HCH) Chemical Name: 1,2,3,4,5,6-Hexachlorocyclohexane (mixed isomers) (C6H6Cl6).(C12H8Cl6O). CAS Number: 608-73-1 (ã -HCH, lindane: 58-89-9). Properties: ã -HCH: solubility in water: 7 mg/L at 20°C; vapour pressure: 3.3 x 10 -5 mm Hg at 20°C; log KOW:3.8. Discovery/Uses: There are two principle formulations: “technical HCH”, which is a mixture of various isomers,including á -HCH (55-80%), â -HCH (5-14%) and ã -HCH (8-15%), and “lindane”, which is essentially pure ã -HCH. Historically, lindane was one of the most widely used insecticides in the world. Its insecticidal properties were discovered in the early 1940s. It controls a wide range of sucking and chewing insects and has been used for seed treatment and soil application, in household biocidal products, and as textile and wood preservatives. Persistence/Fate: Lindane and other HCH isomers are relatively persistent in soils and water, with half lives generally greater than 1 and 2 years, respectively. HCH are much less bioaccumulative than other organochlorines of concern because of their relatively low liphophilicity. On the contrary, their relatively high vapor pressures, particularly of the á -HCH isomer, determine their long-range transport in the atmosphere. Toxicity: Lindane is moderately toxic for invertebrates and fish, with LC50 values of 20-90 µg/L. The acute toxicity for mice and rats is moderate with LD50 values in the range of 60-250 mg/kg. Lindane resulted to have no mutagenic potential in a number of studies but an endocrine disrupting activity. Source: UNEP Chemicals, Regional Reports of the Regionally Based Assessment of Persistent Toxic Substances Program (2002) Available from: http://www.chem.unep.ch/pts UNEP Chemicals 11-13, chemin des Anemones CH-1219 Chatelaine, GE Switzerland. 
IPEN Body Burden Community Monitoring Handbook - 2003 |
|