Toxaphene

Introduction
Effects on Humans
Effects on the Aquatic Environment
Monitoring Techniques and Standards
Safety Cards
Links

Introduction

*IARC: International Agency for Research on Cancer.

Toxaphene is an insecticide and acaricide, especially against maggots and on cotton. Toxaphene is not a single compound, but a mixture of over 177 compounds. The production of toxaphene was halted 15 to 20 years ago. The major route of removal of toxaphene from the soil is through evaporation, but run off from soils treated can be substantial, (WHO, 1984). The half-life of toxaphene in the soil may be as long as twelve years, and it is known to bioconcentrate in organisms. (WFPHA, World Federation of Public Health Associations, 2000).

In the Canadian Arctic, toxaphene was found in indigenous people as a result of their heavy reliance on fish for food, their position at the highest trophic level in the Arctic food chain, and the high lipid content of their diet. A study of women living in the Arctic and eating a traditional diet primarily of fish and blubber from marine mammals showed that they consumed twenty times the tolerable daily intake of toxaphene. (WFPHA, 2000).

Effects on Humans

Acute poisoning from ingestion of prolonged inhalation of toxaphene has been reported to cause damage to the lungs, nervous system, liver and kidneys in humans. In at least six cases, ingestion of high doses of toxaphene has been fatal. Inhaled toxaphene had been reported to cause reversible respiratory failure. The literature is sparse detailing the chronic low level effects of toxaphene exposure to humans, although inference from animal studies suggests that humans are at risk for adverse health effects from limited daily exposures. (WFPHA, 2000).

Effects on The Aquatic Environment

Toxaphene is toxic for many aquatic organisms and shows sub lethal effects, too. In yearling oysters, for example, it might inhibit shell deposition. In fish such as fathead minnows, brook trout and channel catfish the "broken-back-syndrome" has been documented, (WHO, 1984). Aquatic mammals lack hepatic enzymes that would help metabolise toxaphene congeners. As a result, toxaphene can accumulate in very high levels in their adipose tissues. Concentrations of toxaphene have been found in algae, snail, fathead minnow, brook trout, rainbow trout, Virginia oyster, and Atlantic salmon. Blubber sample from beluga whales inhabiting the north coast of Alaska have been found to contain toxaphene at unhealthy concentrations, even exceeding concentration of DDT and PCBs in the whales. People are most often exposed to toxaphene through their diet, especially if it includes fish from contaminated source. Toxaphene has been measured in oils and fats, root vegetables, meats and grains. The insecticide was reported to be one of the most frequently occurring residues in total dietary foods between the years 1982-1984, exceeding levels of DDT in the same samples. (WFPHA, 2000).

The table below shows some bioconcentration factors for toxaphene (EHC 45, WHO, 1984).

Monitoring Techniques and Standards

The HSDB, Hazardous Substances Data Bank: type Toxaphene

This site reports a full list of information on the substance as: Human Health Effects, Animal Toxicity Studies, Environmental Fate & Exposure, Environmental Standards & Regulations, Chemical/Physical Properties, Chemical Safety & Handling, Occupational Exposure Standards, Laboratory Methods, Synonyms and Identifiers.

Toxicology report with toxicity data from the Vermont Safety Information Resources, Inc.

This site provides a list or toxicity tests results, references for toxicity literature reviews, USA standards and regulations, occupational exposure limits in different states all over the world, and reference to NIHOSH, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, analytical standard methods.

Safety Cards

ICSC, International Chemical Safety Cards European Union version

The International Occupational Safety and Health Information Centre (CIS) access to
International Chemical Safety Cards: two pages data sheets on pure substances from the ILO/WHO/UNEP International Program on Chemical Safety (IPCS).

ICSC, International Chemical Safety Cards U.S. National version

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) access to
International Chemical Safety Cards.

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