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Chlordecone - Identification, toxicity, use, water pollution potential, ecological toxicity and regulatory information

Note: See Working with the Information on this Page section below for important notes about this data.

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Chemical ID
 Identifying information, including synonyms, ID numbers, use type, chemical classification, a link to a list of all products containing this chemical and a list of the top crops this pesticide is used on in California.
Poisoning Symptoms
 Signs and symptoms of poisoning, first aid, and links to treatment information for this chemical.
Toxicity
 Link to information on toxicity to humans, including carcinogenicity, reproductive and developmental toxicity, neurotoxicity, and acute toxicity.
Regulatory
 Links to world-wide registration status as well as regulatory information for the U.S. and California.
Water
 Water quality standards and physical properties affecting water contamination potential.
Ecotoxicity
 Toxicity to aquatic organisms.
Related Chems
 List of chemicals in the same family, including breakdown products, salts, esters, isomers, and other derivatives.
 

Chemical Identification and Use for Chlordecone
Basic Identification Information About This Chemical
Chemical Name: Chlordecone
CAS Number: 143-50-0
U.S. EPA PC Code: 027701
CA DPR Chem Code: 347
Molecular Weight: 490.68
Molecular Structure:
Use Type: Insecticide
Chem Class: Organochlorine
View Related Chemicals
 
Additional Resources About This Chemical Class and Use Type

See the Global Pesticide Resources page for many additional links.
 
Other Names for this Chemical
About Chemical Synonyms
00347 (CA DPR Chem Code Text) , 00347 (CA DPR Chem Code) , 027701 (US EPA PC Code Text) , 1189 , 143-50-0 (CAS number) , 143500 , 143500 (CAS number without hyphens) , 27701 (US EPA PC Code) , 347 (CA DPR Chem Code) , 347 (CA DPR Chem Code) , Chlordecone , Chlordecone , Chlordecone (Kepone ®) , Chlordecone (Kepone) , Chlordecone Kepone , Decachloroketone , Decachlorooctahydro-1,3,4-metheno-2H-cyclobuta(cd)pentalen-2-one , Decachloropentacyclo(5.3.0.0.0.0 2,6,4,10,5,9)decane-3-one , Decachlorotetracyclodecanone , GC 1189 , General Chemicals 1189 , Kepone , Kepone-2-one, decachlorooctahydro- , Merex
 
Products Containing This Chemical
Current and historic U.S. registered products
View U.S. Products All Products Currently Registered Products
 

Signs and Symptoms of Chlordecone Poisoning

NOTE! There may be other diseases and chemicals that have similar symptoms.

If you have a poisoning emergency in the United States call 1-800-222-1222.
If the victim has collapsed or is unconscious, call 911.

Chlordecone is a Organochlorine compound.

Report a Poisoning
Symptoms of Poisoning with Organochlorine Compounds
Find Products Containing this Chemical

- Hypersensitive to stimulation, sensation of prickling, tingling or creeping on skin.
- Headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, incoordination, tremor, mental confusion, hyperexcitable state.
- In severe cases: convulsions, seizures, coma and respiratory depression.

Source for Group Symptoms: Recognition and Management of Pesticide Poisoning, 5th edition, U.S. EPA, Chapter 6.
Treatment for Organochlorine Poisoning

See: Recognition and Management of Pesticide Poisoning, 5th edition, U.S. EPA, Chapter 6, page 58.

 
Symptoms of Chlordecone Exposure from the International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSC)

Report a Poisoning
View full ICSC Cards: English   Español   Française   Chinese   Dutch   Finnish   German   Hungarian   Japanese   Swahili   Thai   Urdu  
NOTE! AVOID ALL CONTACT! AVOID EXPOSURE OF (PREGNANT) WOMEN!
 General First Aid: IN ALL CASES CONSULT A DOCTOR!

Route of Exposure

Symptoms

First Aid
Inhalation Loss of movement co-ordination. Headache. Tremor. Weakness. Fresh air rest. Refer for medical attention.
Skin MAY BE ABSORBED! Remove contaminated clothes. Rinse and then wash skin with water and soap. Refer for medical attention.
Eyes First rinse with plenty of water for several minutes (remove contact lenses if easily possible) then take to a doctor.
Ingestion (See Inhalation). Give a slurry of activated charcoal in water to drink. Induce vomiting (ONLY IN CONSCIOUS PERSONS!). Refer for medical attention. See Notes.
Notes for ICSC Information
Carrier solvents used in commercial formulations may change physical and toxicological properties. Do NOT take working clothes home.
 

Toxicity Information for Chlordecone

  Note: Information for many chemicals is incomplete and may not be fully representative of effects on humans. Why?

Summary Toxicity Information

PAN Bad Actor
Chemical 1 		Acute
Toxicity 2 		Carcinogen Cholinesterase
Inhibitor 		Ground
Water Contaminant 		Developmental or
Reproductive Toxin 		Endocrine
Disruptor
 Moderate
No
Suspected
 
Indicates high toxicity in the given toxicological category. Indicates no available weight-of-the-evidence summary assessment. For additional information on toxicity from scientific journals or registration documents, see the "Additional Resources for Toxicity " section of the chemical detail page.
1. PAN Bad Actors are chemicals that are one or more of the following: highly acutely toxic, cholinesterase inhibitor, known/probable carcinogen, known groundwater pollutant or known reproductive or developmental toxicant. NOTE! Because there are no authoritative lists of Endocrine Disrupting (ED) chemicals, EDs are not yet considered PAN Bad Actor chemicals.
2. The acute toxicity reported on this page is of the pure chemical ingredient only and may not reflect the acute toxicity of individual pesticide products. To view acute toxicity of individual products, click on 'View Products' link in the 'Chemical Identification' section above.

Additional Resources about the Toxicity of this Chemical

See the Global Pesticide Resources page for many additional links.

Detailed Toxicity Information
This Chemical
Parent Chemical 
Acute Toxicity 2
 Chlordecone Mirex
WHO Acute Hazard
TRI Acute Hazard
Material Safety Data Sheets
Acute rating from U.S. EPA product label
U.S. NTP Acute Toxicity Studies
      View Studies
Cholinesterase Inhibitor		 Not Listed
Not Listed
Not Available
No Consensus Value
Moderately Toxic

No 		Not Listed
Not Listed
Not Available
Moderately Toxic
Moderately Toxic

No
2. The acute toxicity reported on this page is of the pure chemical ingredient only and may not reflect the acute toxicity of individual pesticide products. To view acute toxicity of individual products, click on 'View Products' link in the 'Chemical Identification' section above.
 
Cancer Information
 Chlordecone Mirex
IARC Carcinogens
U.S. NTP Carcinogens
California Prop 65 Known Carcinogens
U.S. EPA Carcinogens
TRI Carcinogen		 2B, Possible
Reasonably Anticipated
Yes
Not Listed
Not Listed		 2B, Possible
Reasonably Anticipated
Yes
Not Listed
Not Listed
 
Endocrine Disruption
 Chlordecone Mirex
Illinois EPA list
Keith list
Colborn list
Benbrook list
Danish Inert list
EU list		 Known
Not Listed
Yes
Not Listed
Not listed
Yes		 Probable
Yes
Yes
Not Listed
Not listed
Yes
 
Reproductive and Developmental Toxicity
 Chlordecone Mirex
CA Prop 65 Developmental Toxin
U.S. TRI Developmental Toxin
CA Prop 65 Female Reproductive Toxin
CA Prop 65 Male Reproductive Toxin
U.S. TRI Reproductive Toxin 		Yes
Not Listed
Not Listed
Not Listed
Not Listed 		Not Listed
Not Listed
Not Listed
Not Listed
Not Listed
 
Chemicals of Special Concern
 Chlordecone Mirex
PAN Bad Actors
PAN Dirty Dozen list		 Yes
 Yes
 

Water Pollution Potential and Criteria for Chlordecone

Water Pollution Potential

This Chemical
Parent Chemical
  Chlordecone Mirex
PAN Ground Water Contaminant Rating Insufficient Data Insufficient Data
 

Sorry, no water quality standards or criteria have been established for this chemical by the U.S. or Canadian governments; however, there may be criteria established for related chemicals.
 

Regulatory Information for Chlordecone

International Regulatory Status
This Chemical
Parent Chemical 
Registration in Selected Countries Registration in Selected Countries:
Chlordecone
 Registration for Selected Countries:
Mirex
 
UNEP Persistent Organic Pollutant (POP)
UNEP Prior Informed Consent Chemical (PIC)
WHO Obsolete Pesticide		 Reviewed

Yes		 Yes

Yes
 

U.S. and California Regulatory Status
U.S. EPA Registered
U.S. EPA Hazardous Air Pollutant
U.S. EPA Minimum Risk Pesticide (25b list)

CA Registered
CA Groundwater Contaminant
CA Toxic Air Contaminant 		No
Not Listed
No

No
Not Listed
Not Listed 		No
Not Listed
No

No
Not Listed
Not Listed
 

Maximum Tolerance and Residue Levels
Codex Alimentarius
   (UN FAO Maximum Residue Limits)
U.S. Maximum Tolerance Levels
European Union Maximum Residue Levels 		Go to web site

Go to web site
Go to web site
 

Ecotoxicity for Chlordecone

Note! Information for many chemicals is incomplete and may not be fully representative of effects on the environment. Why? Click on underlined terms for definitions and additional information.

Aquatic Ecotoxicity
All Toxic Effects for Organism Group
Organism Group Effects Noted
Amphibians Mortality
Annelida Behavior, Mortality
Crustaceans Accumulation, Behavior, Development, Growth, Mortality, No Effect Coded, Physiology
Fish Accumulation, Behavior, Biochemistry, Development, Enzyme(s), Growth, Histology, Morphology, Mortality, Physiology, Reproduction
Insects Accumulation, Development, Growth, Intoxication, Mortality
Molluscs Accumulation, Growth, Morphology, Mortality
Phytoplankton Accumulation, Growth, Physiology, Population
Zooplankton Accumulation, Behavior, Biochemistry, Development, Genetics, Growth, Intoxication, Mortality, Reproduction
View All Aquatic Ecotoxicity Studies and References
 
Summary of Acute Toxicity for Organism Group
Organism Group Average Acute Toxicity Acute Toxicity Range
Crustaceans Highly Toxic Moderate to Very High Toxicity
Fish Highly Toxic High to Very High Toxicity
Insects Highly Toxic Highly Toxic
Molluscs Moderately Toxic Moderate Toxicity
Zooplankton Highly Toxic High to Very High Toxicity
View All Acute Summaries
 

Terrestrial Ecotoxicity
Summary of Acute Toxicity for Organism Group

Sorry, no honeybee acute toxicity data available for this chemical. Try related chemicals.

Note: Population-level effects on honeybees may occur even if a pesticide has low acute toxicity. For example, certain pesticides interfere with honeybee reproduction, ability to navigate, or temperature regulation, any of which can have an effect on long-term survival of honeybee colonies. The neonicotinoids, pyrethroids and keto-enol pesticides are some types of pesticides causing one or more of these effects.
Honeybee Chronic Toxicity

Sorry, no honeybee chronic toxicity data available for this chemical. Try related chemicals.

Related Chemicals for Chlordecone
CAS Number Relation Reason Chemical Name Chem Detail Registration Symptoms California Use Chem Use Type U.S. EPA Reg PAN Bad Actor
2385-85-5 Parent P Mirex View View View View Insecticide No Yes
143-50-0 Related 2 Chlordecone View View View View Insecticide No Yes
13560-89-9 Related 2 Dechlorane plus 25 View View View View No Not Listed
 
Working with the Information on this Page

Click on underlined terms for definitions or go to the Pesticide Tutorial overview page.

Any underlined term with a book icon has additional information.

* Data marked with an asterisk indicates that this chemical is not explicitly listed on the corresponding list. Instead, it belongs to a group of chemicals that IS designated on the list. For example, if an agency assigns a classification of reproductive toxicant to "mercury compounds", that classification is applied to all mercury compounds in the PAN Pesticide database, which are then marked with an asterisk.

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Citation: Kegley, S.E., Hill, B.R., Orme S., Choi A.H., PAN Pesticide Database, Pesticide Action Network, North America (San Francisco, CA, 2010), http:www.pesticideinfo.org.
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