Herbicides chlorphenoxy

In humans, 2,4-D in large doses can cause coma and generalized muscle hypotonia. Rarely, muscle weakness and marked hypotonia may persist for several weeks. In laboratory animals, signs of liver and kidney dysfunction have also been reported with chlorphenoxy herbicides. Several epidemiologic studies performed by the US National Cancer Institute confirmed the causal link between 2,4-D and non-Hodgkin s lymphoma. Evidence for a causal link to soft tissue sarcoma, however, is considered equivocal. 

Saracci R, Kogevinas M, Bertazzi PA, et al. 1991. Cancer mortality in workers exposed to chlorphenoxy herbicides and chlorophenols. Lancet 338 1027-1032. 

Unlike other animals, the dog appears sensitive to chlorphenoxy herbicides, such as 2,4-D the dog s oral LD50 to 2,4-D is 100 mg kg body weight. Ventricular fibrillation is the cause of death in severely poisoned dogs. Ingestion of sublethal doses induces stiff extremities, ataxia, myotonia, paralysis, coma, and subnormal temperatures. 

E.P. Meulenberg, P.G. Stoks, Water Quality Control in the Production of Drinking Water from River Water. The Application of Immunological Techniques for the Detection of Chlorphenoxy Acid Herbicides , Anal Ghim. Acta, 311, 407-414 (1995). 

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