ENDOSULPHAN

RECORD NUMBER: 19-010991

CHEMICAL NAME:           ENDOSULFAN

(6,7,9,10,10-hexachloro-1,5,5a,6,9,9a-hexahydro-6,9-methano-2,4,3-benzodioxathiepin-3-oxide).

CAS REGISTRY NUMBER:             0115-29-7

CHEMICAL FAMILY:         Organo-chlorine

MOLECULAR FORMULAE:              C9 H6 Cl6 O3 S

DESCRIPTION: Colourless crystals. Technical endosulfan is composed of alpha and beta endosulfan.

USAGE: A Schedule 6 (PESKEM) non-systemic insecticide and acaricide with contact and stomach action registered for use on a wide variety of food and non-food crops including ornamentals.

Agricultural - insecticide

Industrial   -

Domestic     - insecticide

TOLERANCE & EXPOSURE LEVELS:

HEALTH EFFECTS:

SHORT TERM: Organo-chlorines interfere with the transmission of nerve impulses, disrupting the nervous system particularly,

Central Nervous System. They can induce changes in the liver enzymes and affect the synthesis of proteins and fats.(3) Workers have reported symptoms of malaise, vomiting, dizziness, weakness, confusion, dull headache, anorexia and abdominal discomfort. (5)

Other acute exposure effects to organo-chlorines include  behavioural and EEG disturbances, cardiac arrhythmias, central  nervous system stimulation and depression, dermatitis, diarrhea, visual disturbances, hepatic and renal injury, insomnia, mucous  membrane irritation, respiratory difficulties and muscle twitching.(3)

LONG TERM: Chronic exposure to organo-chlorines may result in abdominal pain and anorexia, chest pain, visual disturbances, hepatic and renal degeneration, joint pain, insomnia, mental changes, hormonal disturbances, paralysis, peripheral neuropathy, splenomegaly, tremor and weakness.  (3)

CARCINOGENICITY:

MUTAGENICITY: Some experimental mutagenicity has been observed at high doses of endosulfan. (1) Endosulfan was mutagenic in bacterial and bone marrow tests. (5)

REPRODUCTIVE EFFECTS:

BIO-ACCUMULATION: When administered to rats orally, endosulfan is metabolised to alpha-hydroxyendosulfan and endosulfandiol, which are then excreted in the urine. (2)

Suspected Effects: Endosulfan is suspected of being a carcinogen, teratogen and causing embryotoxicity.  (7)

ANIMAL TOXICITY DATA:

      ** The Lethal Dose 50 varies considerable according to the source.

                         Acute Oral (rat) LD50: 18mg/kg

                         Acute dermal(rat)LD50: 74mg/kg      (7)

                         Acute Oral (rat) LD50: 70mg/kg (aqueous solution)

                                               110mg/kg (in oil)

                         Acute Oral (dog) LD50: 77mg/kg

                    Acute dermal (rabbit) LD50:359mg/kg (in oil)

                    Acute Inhalation (rat)LC50:>21mg/litre (1hr)  (2)

In 2 year feeding trials, rats and dogs recieving 30 mg/kg diet showed no ill effects. (2) Test animals fed high dosages showed evidence of liver changes,(6) and changes in blood and kidneys. (5)

CARCINOGENICITY:

MUTAGENICITY: Some experimental mutagenicity has been observed at high  doses of endosulfan. (1) Endosulfan was mutagenic in bacterial and  bone marrow tests. (5)

REPRODUCTIVE EFFECTS: Some reproductive effects observed in experimental  animals at levels of endosulfan around the LD50 dose.  (1)

Wildlife Data: Acute Avian Oral Toxicity LD50: 205-245mg/kg

               Toxicity to fish (96hrs)  LC50: 0.002mg/l.  (2)

               (96 hr) LC 50: 2.0-4.6 ug/l (mosquito fish) (8)

Residues in fish were dependent on concentration and duration of  exposure. Toxicity to mosquito fish of endosulfan increased with  temperature. (8)  Endosulfan is toxic to aquatic organisms at low concentrations and  short durations. Fish accumulate endosulfan directly from  surrounding water, with the liver the main site of detoxification and having the highest residues. Results from sampling wild catfish Gwydir River NSW, showed a significant increase in endosulfan residues and its metabolites, endosulfan sulfate and  isomers, in fish livers during Summer with a total range of 147.7  - 307.2 ug/kg.  (9)

Detected in salmon eggs from females returning from Lake Michigan at concentrations 0.6-27.8 ug/kg. (10)

ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS:

Environmental Fate: In plants endosulfan is metabolised to the corresponding sulphate. (2)  Release of endosulfan isomers to soil will probably result in  biodegradation and hydrolysis, particularly in alkaline conditions.

Isomers may also photolyze. Volatilisation and leaching will not be significant.  (10)

When released to water endosulfan isomers should hydrolyse readily in alkaline conditions and more slowly in neutral and acidic pH conditions; alpha halflife: 35.4 [pH7] - 150.6 days [pH5.5] beta halflife:  37.5 [pH7] - 187.3 days [pH5.5]

Volatilisation and biodegradation expected to be significant.

Bioconcentration is expected to be significant. Endosulfan isomers regularly detected in groundwater, surface water, sediment and rain and snow samples.(10)

When released to air, endosulfan will react with hydroxyl radicals with est. half life of 1.23 hours. Adsorption to atmospheric particulate  matter will increase half life. Detected in 2.11% of ambient air  samples from 14 U.S. States (1970). (10)

The manufacturer includes these warnings for the formulated product

THIODAN 50 W P (Thiodan (R)) [47% Endosulfan] :Toxic to fish.  Avoid  direct run-off of material into sewers, waterways, lakes or ponds.  Do  not exceed prescribed application rates.  Do not apply insecticides to  fields under irrigation where run-off can enter streams, canals,  ditches or lakes containing fish.  This product does not degrade easily  in water treatment plants.  Product should not be released into sewers  or surface water.  (1)

Water MRL: 0.04ppm

Milk (fat) MRL: 0.5ppm

Meat (fat) MRL: 0.2ppm

Fruit MRL:      2.0ppm

Tea MRL:       30.0ppm                 (4)

35% of tomatoes tested by NSW Dept of Health in "Pesticide Residues in Food and Water 1986-87" Survey had endosulfan residues 0.014-0.57mg/kg.

US EPA DATA GAPS:

NOTES: Endosulfan is severely restricted or banned in Great Britain,  Canada, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, India, Israel, Philipines,  Sweden, Thailand, Bulgaria.  (7)

** Disclaimer: These sheets are designed as summary information and as such are a guide only.

References:

1.Canadian Centre of Occupational Health Database - CCINFO 1991.

2.The Agrochemicals Handbook, 2nd Edition, Royal Society of Chemistry

Information Services The University. Nottingham England. Aug 87.

3.Pesticides and Human Health, W.H.Hallenbeck&K.M.Cunningham-Burns School

of Public Health, Uni. of Illinois Chicago, Springer-Verlag 1985

4.NH&MRC MRL Standards Draft 1989

5.Pesticides Studied in Man, W.J.Hayes. Williams and Wilkins, Baltimore and

London 1982

6 UNEP/IRPTC Data Profile on Endosulfan 1985 Geneva.

7.The Pesticides Handbook, Profiles for Action, 2nd Edition International

Organisation of Consumers Unions.1986

8. Toxicity and bioaccumulation of Endosulfan to Mosquito Fish. B,Nowak,

  R.I.M.Sunderam, Uni. of Sydney, Centre for Environmental Toxicology,

  SPCC and the University of Technology.  1989

9. Residues of Endosulfan in the livers of wild catfish from a cotton

  growing area. Barbara Nowak Uni. of Sydney 1988

10.Handbook of Environmental Fate and Exposure Data for Organic Chemicals,

  Ed. P.H.Howard  Lewis Pub. Michigan 1991