September 1996 |
ToxFAQs™ |
for |
Mirex and Chlordecone |
(Mirex y la Clordecona) |
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CAS#
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Mirex 2385-85-5 |
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Chlordecone 143-50-0 |
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This fact sheet answers the most frequently
asked health questions about mirex and chlordecone. For more
information, you may call the ATSDR Information Center at
1-888-422-8737. This fact sheet is one in a series of summaries
about hazardous substances and their health effects. This
information is important because this substance may harm you.
The effects of exposure to any hazardous substance depend
on the dose, the duration, how you are exposed, personal traits
and habits, and whether other chemicals are present.
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SUMMARY: Exposure to mirex
and chlordecone occurs mainly from touching or eating
soil or food that contains the chemicals. At high levels,
these chemicals may cause damage to the skin, liver, or
nervous and reproductive systems. Mirex has been found
in at least 7 of the 1,430 National Priorities List sites
identified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA);
chlordecone has been found at 2 sites. |
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What
is mirex and chlordecone? |
Mirex and chlordecone are two separate,
but chemically similar, manufactured insecticides that do
not occur naturally in the environment. Mirex is a white crystalline
solid, and chlordecone is a tan-white crystalline solid. Both
chemicals are odorless.
Mirex and chlordecone have not been manufactured
or used in the United States since 1978. Mirex was used to
control fire ants, and as a flame retardant in plastics, rubber,
paint, paper, and electrical goods from 1959 to 1972. Chlordecone
was used as an insecticide on tobacco, ornamental shrubs,
bananas, and citrus trees, and in ant and roach traps. Mirex
was sold as a flame retardant under the trade name Dechlorane,
and chlordecone was also known as Kepone. Use of trade names
is for identification only and does not imply endorsement
by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, the
Public Health Service, or the U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services.
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What
happens to mirex and chlordecone when it enters the environment? |
- Mirex and chlordecone break down slowly in the environment,
and they may stay for years in soil and water.
- They do not evaporate to any great extent from surface
water or surface soil.
- Mirex and chlordecone do not dissolve easily in water,
but they easily stick to soil and sediment particles.
- They are not likely to travel far through the soil and
into underground water.
- They can build up in fish or other organisms that live
in contaminated water or that eat other contaminated animals.
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How
might I be exposed to mirex and chlordecone? |
- Touching or ingesting contaminated soil near hazardous
waste sites.
- Ingesting contaminated fish or other animals living near
hazardous waste sites.
- Nursing infants of mothers living near hazardous waste
sites may be exposed to mirex through their mothers' milk.
- Drinking water or breathing air is not likely to cause
exposure because these compounds do not easily dissolve
in water or evaporate.
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How
can mirex and chlordecone affect my health? |
We do not know how mirex affects the
health of people. Workers who were exposed to high levels
of chlordecone over a long period (more than one year) showed
harmful effects on the nervous system, skin, liver, and male
reproductive system. These workers were probably exposed mainly
through touching chlordecone, although they may have inhaled
or ingested some as well.
Animal studies with chlordecone have
shown effects similar to those seen in people, as well as
harmful kidney effects, developmental effects, and effects
on the ability of females to reproduce. We do not know if
these last three effects also occur in people.
Animal studies have shown that ingesting
high levels of mirex can harm the stomach, intestine, liver,
kidneys, eyes, thyroid, and nervous and reproductive systems.
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How
likely is mirex and chlordecone to cause cancer? |
The Department of Health and Human Services
(DHHS) has determined that mirex and chlordecone may reasonably
be anticipated to be carcinogens.
There are no studies available on whether
mirex and chlordecone are carcinogenic in people. However,
studies in mice and rats have shown that ingesting mirex and
chlordecone can cause liver, adrenal gland, and kidney tumors.
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Is
there a medical test to show whether I've been exposed to mirex
and chlordecone? |
Tests are available that measure the
amount of mirex in blood, feces, fat, or milk, and the amount
of chlordecone in blood, saliva, feces, or bile. However,
these tests may require special equipment and they may not
be available at your doctor's office.
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Has the federal government made recommendations to protect human health? |
The EPA has set a limit of 1 part of
mirex per trillion parts of surface water (1 ppt) to protect
fish and other aquatic life from harmful effects.
The EPA suggests that ingesting an amount
of mirex equal to 200 picograms (pg) per kilogram (kg) of
your body weight per day is not likely to cause significant
harmful health effects.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
suggests that eating fish and other foods with concentrations
below 100 ppt of mirex, or concentrations of chlordecone below
400 ppt, will not cause harmful health effects in people.
The EPA requires that discharges or spills
into the environment of 1 pound or more of chlordecone be
reported.
The National Institute for Occupational
Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommends that average workplace
air levels not exceed 1 microgram per cubic meter (1 m/gm³)
of chlordecone over a 10-hour period.
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Glossary |
Carcinogen: A substance that can cause
cancer.
CAS: Chemical Abstracts Service.
Ingesting: Taking food or drink into
your body.
Insecticide: A substance that kills insects.
Kilogram (kg): One thousand grams.
Microgram (mg): One millionth of a gram.
Picogram (pg): One trillionth of a gram.
Sediment: Mud and debris that have settled
to the bottom of a body of water.
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References |
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease
Registry (ATSDR). 1995. Toxicological Profile for mirex and chlordecone. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department
of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service.
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Where can I get more information? |
ATSDR can tell you where to find occupational
and environmental health clinics. Their specialists can recognize,
evaluate, and treat illnesses resulting from exposure to hazardous
substances. You can also contact your community or state health
or environmental quality department if you have any more questions
or concerns. For more information, contact:
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Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
Division of Toxicology
1600 Clifton Road NE, Mailstop F-32
Atlanta, GA 30333
Phone: 1-888-42-ATSDR (1-888-422-8737)
FAX: (770)-488-4178
Email: ATSDRIC@cdc.gov
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