Previous - Next
DESIGNATIONS
CAS No.: 309-00-2
Registry name: Aldrin
Chemical name: 1,2,3,4,10,10-Hexachloro-1,4,4a,5,8,8a-hexahydro-1,4-endo,exo-5,8-dimethano-naphthalene
Synonyms, Trade names: Hexachlorodimethanonaphthalene, HHDN, Aldrex, Octalen, Seedrin
Chemical name (German): Aldrin, 1,2,3,4,10,10-Hexachlor-1,4,4a,5,8,8a-hexahydro-1,4-endo,exo-5,8-dime-thano-naphthalin
Chemical name (French): Aldrin, hexachloro-1,2,3,4,10,10-hexahydro-1,4,4a,5,8,8a-exodiméthano-1,4,5,8-naphthalčne
Appearance: white, odourless, crystalline solid; technical product is dark brown
BASIC CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL DATA
Empirical formula: C12H8Cl6
Rel. molecular mass: 364.91 g
Density: 1.70 g/cm3
Relative gas density: 12.6
Boiling point: 145°C
Melting point: 104-105.5°C, technical product: 49-60°C
Vapour pressure: 3.07 x 10-3 Pa
Solvolysis/solubility: in water: < 50 mg/l soluble in petroleum, acetone, benzene and xylene; extremely soluble in fat
Conversion factors:
1 ppm = 15.2 mg/m3
1 mg/m3 = 0.07 ppm
ORIGIN AND USE
Usage:
Aldrin is a broad-spectrum insecticide used in particular to combat soil and cotton pests
as well as locusts.
Origin/derivation:
Technically, aldrin is produced from cyclopentadiene by stepwise Diels-Alder reaction with
acetylene and hexachlorocyclopentadiene. In the environment, aldrin is produced by
decomposition of dieldrin; it is converted to dieldrin in organisms. Refer also to
"dieldrin".
Toxicity
Mammals: |
||
Rat: |
LD50 67 mg/kg, oral |
acc. VERSCHUEREN, 1983 |
LD50 98-200 mg/kg, dermal |
acc. VERSCHUEREN, 1983 |
|
Mouse: |
LD50 44 mg/kg, oral |
acc. MERCIER, 1981 |
Dog: |
LD50 65-95 mg/kg, oral |
acc. MERCIER, 1981 |
Aquatic organisms: |
||
Cyprinodont |
LC50 4-8 ppb (96 h) |
acc. VERSCHUEREN, 1983 |
Mugilidae |
LC50 100 ppb (96 h) |
acc. VERSCHUEREN, 1983 |
American minnow |
LC50 28 µg/l (96 h) |
acc. VERSCHUEREN, 1983 |
Blue perch |
LC50 13 µg/l (96 h) |
acc. VERSCHUEREN, 1983 |
Rainbow trout |
LC50 10-17.7 µg/l (96 h) |
acc. VERSCHUEREN, 1983 |
Water flea |
LC50 30 µg/l (24 h) |
acc. VERSCHUEREN, 1983 |
LC50 28 µg/l (48 h) |
acc. VERSCHUEREN, 1983 |
|
Characteristic effects:
Humans/mammals: Aldrin damages the central nervous system and the liver. Typical symptoms of acute poisoning are agitation, convulsions and paralysis. Aldrin is readily absorbed in the organism and transformed to dieldrin within 12-24 hours. A carcinogenic effect has been found to date in animal experiments with various species.
ENVIRONMENTAL BEHAVIOUR
Water:
Due to its considerable toxicity to aquatic organisms and its high level of persistence in
water aldrin is assigned in Germany to water hazard class 3 (highly hazardous).
Air:
Photochemical transformation of aldrin readily takes place in the atmosphere.
Soil:
Accumulation is found in soil on account of the high persistence of the substance.
Half-life:
In river water with an initial concentration of 10 m g/l kept
in a sealed glass jar in sunlight and under artificial fluorescent light, there was hardly
any degradation after 1 week. After 4 weeks 60%, after 8 weeks 80% had been degraded to
dieldrin. Between 0 and 25 % of a given quantity can still be found in soil after 1 -
6 years.
Degradation, decomposition products:
Under oceanic conditions, aldrin is metabolised either directly or by transformation to
dieldrin to form aldrindiol. In the atmosphere, aldrin decomposes to form photoaldrin or
photodieldrin by transformation to dieldrin. Photooxidation due to UV-light decomposes
some 75% of a given quantity (at 90 - 95°C) in water to form carbon dioxide, hydrogen
chloride and water after more than 100 hours (VERSCHUEREN, 1983).
Food chain:
The presence of aldrin has been detected in mother's milk (MERCIER, 1981).
ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS
Medium/acceptor |
Sector |
Country/organ. |
Status |
Value |
Cat. |
Remarks |
Source |
Water: |
Drinkw |
USA |
G |
0.001 mg/l |
Illinois state | acc. WAITE, 1984 | |
Waste water |
EC |
L |
5 mg/l |
Seawater | acc. LEROY, 1985 | ||
Waste water |
EC |
L |
5 mg/l |
Freshwater | acc. LEROY, 1985 | ||
Air: |
Workp |
D |
L |
0.25 mg/m3 |
MAK |
DFG, 1989 | |
Workp |
SU |
(L) |
0.01 mg/m3 |
PDK |
Skin | acc. KETTNER, 1979 | |
Workp |
USA |
(L) |
0.25 mg/m3 |
TWA |
Skin | ACGIH, 1986 | |
Workp |
USA |
(L) |
0.75 mg/m3 |
STEL |
ACGIH, 1986 | ||
Foodstuffs: |
WHO |
G |
0.0001 mg/(kg d) |
ADI |
Aldrin + Dieldrin | acc. VETTORAZZI, 1979 | |
WHO |
G |
0.03-0.3 mg/kg |
Residue tolerance limit | acc. VERSCHUEREN, 1983 |
Note: The Order Governing the Use of Pesticides has provided for a complete ban since 1988.
Comparison/reference values
Medium/origin |
Country |
Value |
Source |
Areas of water |
|||
Northern Mississippi |
USA |
0.01-0.49 ng/l |
acc. VERSCHUEREN, 1983 |
Hawaii (sediment) |
USA |
5.5-11.02 m g/kg |
acc. VERSCHUEREN, 1983 |
Anchovies, Mediterranean, 1976/77 |
0.1-0.8 m g/kg fresh wt. (n=12) |
acc. VERSCHUEREN, 1983 |
|
Tuna, Mediterranean, 1976/77 |
0.1-0.2 m g/kg fresh wt. (n=5) |
acc. VERSCHUEREN, 1983 |
|
Assessment/comments
(refer to "dieldrin" information sheet)