143-50-0 Kepone

Synonyms l,la,3,3a,4,5,5,5a,5/ ,6-decachlo-rooctahydro-1,3,4-metheno-2//-cyclobuta [c,J]pentalen-2-one decachlorotetrahydro- 

Crystalline solid decomposes at 350° C (662°F) bp 170°C (338°F) at 0.05 torr slightly soluble in water (145 mg/L) and hydrocarbons readily dissolves in acetone, alcohol, and acetic acid 

Highly toxic by oral, dermal, and possibly other routes of exposure toxic properties similar to those of Mirex however, more toxic than the latter symptoms include tremors, ataxia, hyperactivity, muscle spasms, and skin changes highly injurious to liver, kidney, and central nervous system a teratogenic substance caused testicular atrophy, sterility, low sperm count, and breast enlargement in experimental animals sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in experimental animal also, possibly carcinogenic to humans. (lARC 

LD50 oral (rat) 95 mg/kg LD50 oral (rabbit) 65 mg/kg LD50 skin (rabbit) 345 mg/kg 

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D. S. Duvall and W. A. Rubey, "Laboratory Evaluation of High Temperature Destmction of Kepone and Related Pesticides," EPA-600/2-76-299, NTIS, Springfield, Va., Dec. 1976. 

Aldrin, chlordecone (Kepone), 2,4-D, DDT and metabolites, dieldrin, endosulfan, endrin, f]- and y-HCH (lindane), linuron, methoxychlor, mirex... 

Kentucky Regional Poison Center, 313 KEPONE, 81 KERB , pronamide, 81 Kerosene, 81... 

Guzelian P. Fourteen Workers Exposed to the Pesticide Kepone are Probably Sterile, Research Reports // Occupat. Health and Safety Letters. 1976. Vol. 6. P.2. 

Buckler, D.R., A. Witt, Jr., F.L. Mayer, and J.N. Huckins. 1981. Acute and chronic effects of kepone and mirex on the fathead minnow. Trans. Amer. Fish. Soc. 110 270-280. 

Chernoff, N., R.E. Linder, T.M. Scotti, E.H. Rogers, B.D. Carver, and R. Kavlock. 1979. Fetotoxicity and cataractogenicity of mirex in rats and mice with notes on kepone. Environ. Res. 18 257-269. 

Huckins, J.N., D.L. Stalling, J.D. Petty, D.R. Buckler, and B.T. Johnson. 1982. Fate of kepone and mirex in the aquatic environment. Jour. Agric. Food Chem. 30 1020-1027. 

National Academy of Sciences. (NAS). 1978. Scientific and Technical Assessments of Environmental Pollutants. Kepone/Mirex/Hexachlorocyclopentadiene An Environmental Assessment. Nat. Acad. Sci., Washington, D.C. 73 pp. 

Sanders, H.O., J. Huckins, B.T. Johnson, and D. Skaar. 1981. Biological effects of kepone and mirex in freshwater invertebrates. Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 10 531-539. 

Skaar, D.R., B.T. Johnson, J.R. Jones, and J.N. Huckins. 1981. Fate of kepone and mirex in a model aquatic environment sediment, fish, and diet. Canad. Jour. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 38 931-938. 

For the last forty years, many reports have emerged on the hormone-like effects of chemical compounds such as pesticides and industrial chemicals upon wildlife and humans. The effects of these materials are believed to be either direct or indirect. Direct effects involve positive or negative interactions with the hormone receptors. Indirect effects may result when the synthesis of hormones or their receptors is altered, or the transport, metabolism, or elimination of hormones is modified in some way. The discovery of hormone-like properties of some compounds was made long after their release into the environment. It was shown soon after their introduction that aviation crop dusters handling DDT had low sperm counts and workers at a plant producing the insecticide kepone were reported to have low libido, sperm counts and to be impotent. Subsequently, experiments conducted in laboratory animals demonstrated unambiguously the oestrogenic activity of these pesticides. 9 refs. 

Gambrell et al. [14] have described a procedure for the recovery of DDT (also kepone and Permethrin) added to soil suspensions incubated under controlled redox potential and pH conditions. They studied the effect of time on the levels of the insecticides and their breakdown products. 

The stability of Kepone (chlorodecone) was not affected by pH or redox potential while Permethrin stability was affected by both parameters. 

DDT, Kepone and Permethrin were added to soil and incubated under controlled pH and redox potential conditions to determine the effect with time on the levels of the insecticides and their degradation products. Samples were analysed using gas chromatography, pH and redox potential affected the persistence of pesticides to different degrees. The recovery of DDT was affected by redox potential but not by pH. The stability of Kepone was not affected by pH or redox potential but Permethrin stability was affected by both. 

There is no specific antidote and no currently recognized way to enhance elimination. Conventional treatment is entirely supportive. Cholestyramine has been shown to enhance elimination of chlordane and kepone (HSDB 1994), and may enhance elimination after ingestion of endrin. However, its effectiveness in endrin poisoning has not been tested. 

Mirex and chlordecone are no longer made or used in the United States. Mirex and chlordecone were most commonly used in the 1960s and 1970s. Mirex was used as a pesticide to control fire ants mostly in the southeastern part of the United States. It was also used extensively as a flame retardant additive under the trade name Dechlorane in plastics, rubber, paint, paper, and electrical goods from 1959 to 1972 because it does burn easily. Chlordecone was used to control insects that attacked bananas, citrus trees with no fruits, tobacco, and ornamental shrubs. It was also used in household products such as ant and roach traps. Chlordecone is also known by its trade name Kepone . All registered products containing mirex and chlordecone were canceled in the United States between 1977 and 1978. 

Adir J, Caplan YH, Thompson BC. 1978. Kepone serum half-life in humans. Life Sci 22(8) 699-702. 

Aldous CN, Chetty CS, Desaiah D. 1983. Alterations in tissue distribution of chlordecone (Kepone) in the rat following phenobarbital or SKF-525A administration. J Toxicol Environ Health 11(3) 365-372. 

Ali SF, Hong JS, Wilson WE, et al. 1982. Subchronic dietary exposure of rats to chlordecone (Kepone ) modifies levels of hypothalmic -endorphin. Neurotoxicology 3(2) 119-124. 

Alley EG, Layton BR, Minyard JP Jr. 1974. Identification of the photoproducts of the insecticides mirex and Kepone. J Agric Food Chem 22(3) 442-445. 

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