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DESIGNATIONS
CAS No.: 58-89-9
Registry name: Lindane
Chemical name: g -Hexachlorocyclohexane
Synonyms, Trade names: Lindane, gamma-BHC, benzene hexachloride, g -HCH, Hortex, Cortilan, Jacutin Fog; known under at least 80 different tradenames (also in mixtures with other agents); a list of trade names is found in: INDUSTRIEVERBAND PFLANZENSCHUTZ e.V., 1982)
Chemical name (German): Lindan, g -Hexachlorcyclohexan, Hexachlorcyclobenzol
Chemical name (French): Lindane, hexachlorure de benzène
Appearance: colourless, odourless crystals
BASIC CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL DATA
| Empirical formula: | C6H6Cl6 |
| Rel. molecular mass: | 290.83 g |
| Density: | 1.85-1.90 g/cm3 |
| Relative gas density: | 10 |
| Boiling point: | 323.4°C (decomposition) |
| Melting point: | 112.5°C |
| Vapour pressure: | 0.94 x 10-5 Pa at 40°C, 1300 Pa at 176.2°C |
| Solvolysis/solubility: | in water 7.3 - 7.8 mg/l at 20°C |
| in benzene 289 g/l at 20°C | |
| in diethylether 208 g/l at 20°C | |
| in acetone 435 g/l at 20°C | |
| readily soluble in ethanol and chloroform | |
| Conversion factors: | 1 ppm = 12.1 mg/m3 |
| 1 mg/m3 = 0.083 ppm |
ORIGIN AND USE
Usage:
Lindane is an insecticide used to combat biting and sucking
species in the fruit-growing, horticultural and agricultural
sectors as well as in forestry. It is also used to combat pests
in empty food storage tanks and is used in human and veterinary
hygiene.
Origin/derivation:
Technical production by photochlorination of benzene which yields
a mixture of HCH isomers from which the individual isomers can be
extracted. The gamma-HCH content of the mixture is between 10 -
18%. Some 80 - 90% unwanted isomers are produced in the first
step. The maximum purity is 99%; 1% are other isomers.
Production figures:
| Germany: | 1,500 t (1977) | |
| 250 t (1982) | ||
| < 1,000 t (1985) | ||
| Worldwide: | 5,000 t (1983) | plus 23,000 t in technical HCH |
Toxicity
| Humans: | LD100 150 mg/kg | acc. UBA 1981, Ber. 10704006/1 |
| 10-20 mg/kg (acute toxicity) | acc. UBA, 1981, Ber. 10704006/1 | |
| Mammals: | ||
| Rat | LD50 88-125 mg/kg, oral | acc. CEC, 1981 |
| LD50 125-230 mg/kg, oral | acc. CEC, 1981 | |
| LD50 500 mg/kg, dermal | acc. IPS, 1982 | |
| LD50 >10,000 mg/kg, dermal | acc. RIPPEN, 1991 | |
| NEL 1.25 mg/(kg·d) | VETTORAZZI, 1979 | |
| Mouse | LD50 86 mg/kg, oral | acc. CEC, 1981 |
| LD50 245-480 mg/kg, oral | acc. IPS, 1982 | |
| Dog | LD50 40 - 200 mg/kg, oral | acc. CEC, 1981) |
| NEL 1.6 mg/(kg·d) | VETTORAZZI, 1979 | |
| Aquatic organisms: | ||
| Leuciscus idus melanotus | LC0 0.05/0.02 mg/l (48h) | Juhnke & LÜDEMANN, 1978 |
| LC50 0.28/0.003 mg/l (48h) | JUHNKE & LÜDEMANN, 1978 | |
| LC100 0.5/0.07 mg/l (48h) | JUHNKE & LÜDEMANN, 1978 | |
| Brachydanio rerio | LC0 0.07 mg/l (48h) | acc. UBA, 1981, Ber. 10704006/1 |
| LC50 0.06/0.09 mg/l (48h) | acc. UBA, 1981, Ber. 10704006/1 | |
| Golden orfe | LC50 0.03-0.25 mg/l | acc. ROTH, 1988 |
| Carp | LC50 0.28 mg/l | acc. LOUB, 1975 |
| Brown trout (Salmo trutta) | LC50 0.0017 mg/l (96h, 13°C) | acc. DVWK, 1985 |
| Lebistes | LC0 1.3 mg/l (96h) | acc. ROTH, 1988 |
| Water flea (Daphnia magna) | EC0 0.02 mg/l (24h) | acc. UBA, 1981, Ber. 10704006/1 |
| EC50 0.7 mg/l (24h) | acc. UBA, 1981, Ber. 10704006/1 | |
| EC100 7.0 mg/l (24h) | acc. UBA, 1981, Ber. 10704006/1 | |
| Green algae | EC50 1.7-3.8 mg/l (96h) | acc. UBA, 1981, Ber. 10704006/1 |
| Green algae (Chlorella spec.) | EC50 0.2-0.3 mg/l (96h) | acc. UBA, 1981, Ber. 10704006/1 |
Characteristic effects:
Humans/mammals: A carcinogenic substance (acc. ROTH, 1989) which causes nausea, vomiting, unrest and spasms. It has a harmful effect on the liver and kidneys and can impair the central nervous system in humans.
Insects: Respiratory poison; toxic for bees.
Plants: Alteration of cell structure, damage to roots, inhibition of growth, problems with respiration.
ENVIRONMENTAL BEHAVIOUR
Water:
More than 90% of lindane in surface and groundwater is found in
dissolved form; little is adsorbed on sediment and suspensions
(acc. DVGW, 1988); accumulation in organisms; contamination of
groundwater in immediate vicinity of dumps and in sewage-water
seepage areas.
Air:
Transport medium; estimated deposition in Germany (West) 6-60 t/a
(SRU, 1980).
Soil:
Accumulation; in some cases it is an extremely stable
chemical which is still present after 11 to 14 years (SIEPER,
1972; LOUB, 1975; KORTE, 1980) depending on the type of soil,
content of humic substances, moisture, dosage and combination
with other agents. Applied quantities of 0.1 - 1 kg/ha are
subject to between 40 and 80% decomposition after roughly one
year. Reduction of soil flora; hazardous to groundwater mostly in
sandy soils (DVGW, 1988).
Half-life:
Soil: 8-18 months (UBA, 1986), 200-260 days (RIPPEN, 1991);
surface water or groundwater:
7 months - 4 years (UBA, 1986); 15-20 weeks
(DVGW, 1988).
Degradation, decomposition products:
By way of dehydrochlorination, dehydrogenation and
dechlorination; degradation via hexachlorocyclohexene,
pentachlorocyclohexene and tetrachlorocyclohexene to form
primarily chlorinated benzenes and phenols; usually due to
microorganisms under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions;
particularly stable in acid milieu; abiotic degradation through
photomineralisation to form CO2; above 230 nm
transformation of gamma-isomer to alpha-isomer; degradation in
soil takes place in several stages; initially physical effects
such as surface volatilisation, evaporation or condensation with
water, elution into deeper soil layers and diffusion, then
biological degradation.
Food chain:
Considerable variation in assessment of human intake: US-EPA
(1980) = 70% drinking water, 30% fish, air negligible; DFG (1982)
= air and drinking water < 1%, primarily in animal-based
foodstuffs; accumulation in mother's milk (HAHNE et al. 1986).
ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS
| Medium/ acceptor | Sector | Country/ organ. | Status | Value | Cat. | Remarks | Source |
| Water: | Drinkw | A | (G) |
3 µg/l | acc. DVGW, 1988 | ||
| Drinkw | CDN | (L) |
4 µg/l | acc. DVGW, 1988 | |||
| Drinkw | D | L |
0.1 µg/l | TVO, 1990 | |||
| Drinkw | DDR | (L) |
20 µg/l | acc. DVGW, 1988 | |||
| Drinkw | USA | (L) |
4 µg/l | EPA, 1975 | |||
| Drinkw | USA | G |
0.2 µg/l | EPA, 1986 | |||
| Drinkw | WHO | G |
3 µg/l | WHO, 1984 | |||
| Groundw | USA | G |
0.005 mg/l | State of Illinois | acc. WAITE, 1984 | ||
| Surface | 1) | 0.1 µg/l | 2) | IAWR, 1986 | |||
| Surface | 1) | 0.5 µg/l | 3) | IAWR, 1986 | |||
| Surface | D | G |
1.4 µg/l | 2) | DVWG, 1988 | ||
| Surface | D | G |
6.8 µg/l | 3) | DVWG, 1988 | ||
| Surface | USA | G |
0.005 mg/l | State of Illinois | acc. WAITE, 1984 | ||
| Surface | USA | G |
0.01 µg/l | Prot. of aquat. org. | EPA, 1976 | ||
| Soil: | NL | L |
2 mg/kg | Intervention | acc. TERRA TECH, 6/94 | ||
| Air: | |||||||
| DDR | (L) |
0.03 mg/m3 | (MIK) | 30 min | acc. STERN, 1986 | ||
| DDR | (L) |
0.01 mg/m3 | (MIK) | 24 h | acc. STERN. 1986 | ||
| Workp | D | L |
0.5 mg/m3 | MAK | acc. DFG, 1994 | ||
| Workp | DDR | (L) |
0.5 mg/m3 | (MAK) | Short-time value | acc. HORN et al., 1989 | |
| Workp | DDR | (L) |
0.2 mg/m3 | (MAK) | Long-time value | acc. HORN et al., 1989 | |
| Workp | USA | (L) |
0.5 mg/m3 | TWA | ACGIH, 1986 | ||
| Workp | D | L |
0.02 mg/l | BAT | Whole blood | DFG, 1994 | |
| Workp | D | L |
0.025 mg/l | BAT | Plasma/serum | DFG, 1994 | |
| Foodstuffs:4) | D | G |
12.5 µg/(kg.d) | ADI | WHO/FAO, 1973 | ||
| WHO | G |
10 µg/(kg.d) | ADI | WHO/FAO, 1984 | |||
| Potatoes | D | L |
0.1 mg/kg | acc. DVGW, 1988 | |||
| Grain | D | L |
0.1 mg/kg | acc. DVGW, 1988 | |||
| Tea | D | L |
0.5 mg/kg | acc. DVGW, 1988 | |||
| Vegetables | D | L |
1.5 mg/kg | acc. DVGW, 1988 | |||
| Green veg. | D | L |
2 mg/kg | acc. DVGW, 1988 | |||
| Fat5) | D | L |
0.1 mg/kg | acc. DVGW, 1988 | |||
| Fat6) | D | L |
0.2 mg/kg | acc. DVGW, 1988 | |||
| Milk | D | L |
0.7 mg/kg | acc. DVGW, 1988 | |||
| Eggs | D | L |
2 mg/kg | acc. DVGW, 1988 |
Notes:
1) Countries bordering the Rhine
2) Limit value when using natural purification methods for drinking water treatment
3) Limit value when using physical and chemical purification methods for drinking water treatment
4) Limit values as per Order Governing Maximum Quantities of Pesticide (1984) referenced to human foodstuffs
5) In fish and meat
6) In poultry
The use of technical HCH is banned in the Federal Republic of Germany.
Comparison/reference values
| Medium/origin | Country | Value | Source |
| Lake Constance | D | 0.005 mg/l | acc. DVGW, 1988 |
| Rhine (Karlsruhe) | D | 0.05-0.5 mg/l | acc. DVGW, 1988 |
| Danube (Passau) | D | 0.001-0.04 mg/l | acc. DVWK, 1985 |
| Elbe | D | 0.003-0.123 mg/l | acc. DVWK, 1985 |
| Rivers/lakes (Mississippi) | USA | 0.02-0.16 mg/l | acc. DVWK, 1985 |
| Rivers | J | 0.01-0.1 mg/l | acc. DVWK, 1985 |
| Lake Mariot | ET | 0.14-7.7 mg/l | acc. DVWK, 1985 |
Assessment/comments
Legal regulations often treat all hexachlorocyclohexane isomers as a substance group and thus give total figures. Approximate values for surface water or groundwater often refer not to single compounds but to pesticides as a substance class. According to DVGW (1988), technical HCH is banned in most European countries and in North America but, however, is used in many Third-World countries. It is estimated that all lindane produced is released into the environment. The amount worldwide may be 38,000 t/a. The high persistence and accumulation in the fatty tissue of humans and mammals is a good reason to further reduce its application.
Special sources: INDUSTRIEVERBAND PFLANZENSCHUTZ e.V., 1980