What chemicals are in toxaphene?

Toxaphene is a manufactured insecticide containing a complex mix ture of at least 670 chemicals, including chlorobornanes, chlorocam phenes, and other bicyclic chloroorganic compounds (ATSDR 1996). The relative proportions of the major components of the pesticide are essentially the same in different formulations.

How can toxaphene harm humans?

Chronic (long- term) inhalation exposure to toxaphene in humans results in reversible respiratory toxicity, while chronic, oral exposure in animals has resulted in effects on the liver, kidney, spleen, adrenal and thyroid glands, CNS, and the immune system.

What was toxaphene used for?

Toxaphene was used primarily in the southern United States to control insect pests on cotton and other crops. Toxaphene is usually found as a solid or a gas. In its original form, toxaphene is a yellow to amber waxy solid that has a piney odor.

What company manufactures toxaphene?

Hercules Chemical Company
Toxaphene, a trade name for a mixture of chlorinated camphenes, was introduced in mid-1945 by Hercules Chemical Company as a broad-spectrum insecticide (de Geus et al., 1999; Braekevelt et al., 2001).

How is toxaphene applied?

Toxaphene entered surface waters through runoff from rain, by direct application to lakes as a pesticide, by wastewater release from manufacturing facilities, and through activities related to disposal of waste pesticides. Toxaphene adsorbs to soil particles, and may enter waterbodies in this form.

How is toxaphene produced?

Toxaphene is a mixture of over 670 different chemicals and is produced by reacting chlorine gas with camphene. Toxaphene has been shown to cause adverse health effects in humans. The main sources of exposure are through food, drinking water, breathing contaminated air, and direct contact with contaminated soil.

Is toxaphene still used?

Toxaphene is still used in countries outside the United States but much of this usage has been undocumented. Between 1970 and 1995, global usage of toxaphene was estimated to be 670 million kilograms (1.5 billion pounds).

How can toxaphene enter and leave a human body?

Toxaphene could enter your body if you were to get toxaphene-contaminated soil on your skin, although such contact is not likely. Toxaphene is quickly broken down into other substances in your body. Toxaphene and its breakdown products leave your body mostly in urine and feces.

What species does toxaphene target?

Toxaphene increases the hepatic metabolism of estradiol and estrone in rats, thus reducing their effects on the reproductive cycle.

Is toxaphene banned in the US?

In the United States, toxaphene was banned for most uses in 1982 and all uses were banned in 1990. However, due to its relatively long half-life, toxaphene persists in the environment. The soil half-life is approximately 1 to 14 years.

How toxic are PCBs?

PCBs have been demonstrated to cause a variety of adverse health effects. They have been shown to cause cancer in animals as well as a number of serious non-cancer health effects in animals, including: effects on the immune system, reproductive system, nervous system, endocrine system and other health effects.

What is the chemical name for toxaphene?

Toxaphene or camphechlor is a complex mixture of polychlorinated bornanes (CHBs) and other camphenes. Historically, it was one of the most heavily used chlorinated pesticides in the world, with the total quantities used estimated in megatonnes, which is comparable to the usage of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) (see later).

What is the effect of toxaphene on sex ratio?

Toxaphene has juvenile hormone-like effects in disrupting the sex ratio by increasing the male production (Flaherty and Dodson, 2005). Toxaphene is an organochlorine insecticide that is similar to other compounds such as endrin, dieldrin, aldrin, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), lindane, and chlordecone.

What is targettoxaphene (camphechlor)?

Toxaphene, or camphechlor, is a complex mixture of polychlorated bornanes (CHBs) and other camphenes.

When did toxaphene stop being used?

The use of toxaphene peaked in 1974 after DDT was banned in 1972 with nearly 400 000 metric tons being distributed into the environment (both land and aquatic uses). This use began to subside, yet nearly 100 000 metric tons was still used in 1980 shortly before the complete ban on toxaphene usage.