September 2002 |
ToxFAQs™ |
for |
Aldrin/Dieldrin |
(Aldrín/Dieldrín) |
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CAS#
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Aldrin 309-00-2 |
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Dieldrin 60-57-1 |
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This fact sheet answers the most frequently
asked health questions about aldrin and dieldrin. 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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HIGHLIGHTS: Exposure to aldrin
and dieldrin happens mostly from eating contaminated foods,
such as root crops, fish, or seafood. Aldrin and dieldrin
build up in the body after years of exposure and can affect
the nervous system. Aldrin has been found in at least
207 of the 1,613 National Priorities List sites identified
by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Dieldrin
has been found in at least 287 of the 1,613 sites. |
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What
are aldrin and dieldrin? |
Aldrin and dieldrin are insecticides
with similar chemical structures. They are discussed together
in this fact sheet because aldrin quickly breaks down to dieldrin
in the body and in the environment. Pure aldrin and dieldrin
are white powders with a mild chemical odor. The less pure
commercial powders have a tan color. Neither substance occurs
naturally in the environment
From the 1950s until 1970, aldrin and
dieldrin were widely used pesticides for crops like corn and
cotton. Because of concerns about damage to the environment
and potentially to human health, EPA banned all uses of aldrin
and dieldrin in 1974, except to control termites. In 1987,
EPA banned all uses.
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What
happens to aldrin and dieldrin when they enter the environment? |
- Sunlight and bacteria change aldrin to dieldrin so that
we mostly find dieldrin in the environment.
- They bind tightly to soil and slowly evaporate to the
air.
- Dieldrin in soil and water breaks down very slowly.
- Plants take in and store aldrin and dieldrin from the
soil.
- Aldrin rapidly changes to dieldrin in plants and animals.
- Dieldrin is stored in the fat and leaves the body very
slowly.
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How
might I be exposed to aldrin and dieldrin? |
- Dieldrin is everywhere in the environment, but at very
low levels.
- Eating food like fish or shellfish from lakes or streams
contaminated with either chemical, or contaminated root
crops, dairy products, or meats.
- Air, surface water, or soil near waste sites may contain
higher levels.
- Living in homes that were once treated with aldrin or
dieldrin to control termites.
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How
can aldrin and dieldrin affect my health? |
People who intentionally or accidentally
ingested large amounts of aldrin or dieldrin suffered convulsions
and some died. Health effects may also occur after a longer
period of exposure to smaller amounts because these chemicals
build up in the body.
Some workers exposed to moderate levels
in the air for a long time had headaches, dizziness, irritability,
vomiting, and uncontrolled muscle movements. Workers removed
from the source of exposure rapidly recovered from most of
these effects.
Animals exposed to high amounts of aldrin
or dieldrin also had nervous system effects. In animals, oral
exposure to lower levels for a long period also affected the
liver and decreased their ability to fight infections. We
do not know whether aldrin or dieldrin affect the ability
of people to fight disease.
Studies in animals have given conflicting
results about whether aldrin and dieldrin affect reproduction
in male animals and whether these chemicals may damage the
sperm. We do not know whether aldrin or dieldrin affect reproduction
in humans.
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How
likely are aldrin and dieldrin to cause cancer? |
There is no conclusive evidence that
aldrin or dieldrin cause cancer in humans. Aldrin and dieldrin
have shown to cause liver cancer in mice. The International
Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has determined that aldrin
and dieldrin are not classifiable as to human carcinogenicity.
The EPA has determined that aldrin and dieldrin are probable
human carcinogens.
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How
can aldrin and dieldrin affect children? |
Children can be exposed to aldrin and
dieldrin in the same way as adults. There are no known unique
exposure pathways for children. Children who swallowed amounts
of aldrin or dieldrin much larger than those found in the
environment suffered convulsions and some died, as occurred
in adults. However, we do not know whether children are more
susceptible than adults to the effects of aldrin or dieldrin.
We do not know whether aldrin or dieldrin
cause birth defects in humans. Pregnant animals that ingested
aldrin or dieldrin had some babies with low birth weight and
some with alterations in the skeleton. Dieldrin has been found
in human breast milk, therefore, it can be passed to suckling
infants.
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How
can families reduce their risk for exposure to aldrin and dieldrin? |
- Since aldrin and dieldrin are no longer produced or used,
exposure to these compounds will occur only from past usage.
- Because aldrin and dieldrin were applied to the basement
of some homes for termite protection, before buying a home
families should investigate what, if any, pesticides have
been used within the home.
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Is
there a medical test to show whether I've been exposed to aldrin
and dieldrin? |
There are laboratory tests that can measure
aldrin and dieldrin in your blood, urine, and body tissues.
Because aldrin changes to dieldrin fairly quickly in the body,
the test has to be done shortly after you are exposed to aldrin.
Since dieldrin can stay in the body for months, measurements
of dieldrin can be made much longer after exposure to either
aldrin or dieldrin. The tests cannot tell you whether harmful
health effects will occur. These tests are not routinely available
at the doctor's office because they require special equipment.
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Has
the federal government made recommendations to protect human
health? |
The EPA limits the amount of aldrin and
dieldrin that may be present in drinking water to 0.001 and
0.002 milligrams per liter (mg/L) of water, respectively,
for protection against health effects other than cancer. The
EPA has determined that a concentration of aldrin and dieldrin
of 0.0002 mg/L in drinking water limits the lifetime risk
of developing cancer from exposure to each compound to 1 in
10,000.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration
(OSHA) sets a maximum average of 0.25 milligrams of aldrin
and dieldrin per cubic meter of air (0.25 mg/m³) in the
workplace during an 8-hour shift, 40 hour week. The National
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) also
recommends a limit of 0.25 mg/m³ for both compounds for
up to a 10-hour work day, 40-hour week.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
regulates the residues of aldrin and dieldrin in raw foods.
The allowable range is from 0 to 0.1 ppm, depending on the
type of food product.
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References |
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease
Registry (ATSDR). 2002. Toxicological
Profile for aldrin and dieldrin. 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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