Reviews of the environmental effects of pollutants. I. Mirex and Kepone. [Effects on aquatic and terrestrial organisms]
The publicly-available information on the environmental effects of the two organochlorine pesticides, Mirex and its ketone analog, Kepone, are assembled and analyzed. The data base on these compounds is limited, especially with respect to Kepone, on which almost no environmental research was conducted prior to the Life Science's Products Company incident. Both of these compounds are non-volatile, have very low water solubilities, are chemically and thermally very stable, and are quite resistant to biodegradation. Neither Mirex nor Kepone appreciably affects microorganisms or plants in usual environmental concentrations. Mirex does not appear to present a serious acute toxicity problem to non-target terrestrial invertebrates as a result of fire ant control efforts. Both Mirex and Kepone produce adverse reproductive effects in numerous species. Mirex has been shown to induce liver tumors in mice and rats and is judged to have potential carcinogenicity. The carcinogenic properties of Kepone have been documented in mice and rats. Both Mirex and Kepone are lipid-soluble and accumulate in fatty tissues, from which the rate of excretion is slow. Mirex has been detected in adipose tissues of humans and in beef fat from cattle in areas aerially treated for fire ant control, but there are few definitive data on its effects on humans, and exposures appear to have been minimal. Exposure of humans to Kepone in roach and ant traps appears also to have been minimal. Excessive exposures did result from the inadequate control of Kepone during its manufacture at LSPC. No practical scheme for the removal or neutralization of the Kepone contained in James River sediments downstream of this plant have yet been devised, and this environmental inventory is likely to pose a problem for many years.
- Research Organization:
- Battelle Columbus Labs., OH (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-26
- OSTI ID:
- 6007389
- Report Number(s):
- EPA-600/1-78-013
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Mirex: a risk benefit evaluation. [A chlorinated insecticide used in the control of the imported fire ant]
Mirex: an overview
Related Subjects
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
520200 -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
560302* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Microorganisms-- (-1987)
560303 -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Plants-- (-1987)
560304 -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Invertebrates-- (-1987)
560305 -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Vertebrates-- (-1987)
560306 -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Man-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AMPHIBIANS
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIRDS
CARCINOGENESIS
CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
CONTAMINATION
DATA
DATA FORMS
DISEASES
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FISHES
INFORMATION
INSECTICIDES
INVERTEBRATES
ISOLATED VALUES
JAMES RIVER
KEPONE
LAND POLLUTION
MAMMALS
MAN
MICROORGANISMS
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
PATHOGENESIS
PATHOLOGICAL CHANGES
PESTICIDES
PLANTS
POLLUTION
PRIMATES
REPRODUCTION
REPTILES
RIVERS
SEDIMENTS
SENSITIVITY
SOLUBILITY
STABILITY
STREAMS
SURFACE WATERS
TOXICITY
VERTEBRATES
WATER POLLUTION