| Safety Profile |
Confirmed carcinogen
with experimental carcinogenic,
neoplastigenic, and tumorigenic data by
ingestion and skin contact. Poison by
ingestion, skin contact, and subcutaneous
routes. Human systemic effects by
inhalation: headache, nausea or vomiting,
and fever. Implicated in aplastic anemia.
Experimental reproductive effects. Mutation
data reported. Lindane is more toxic than
DDT or dieldrin. Potentially violent reaction
with dlmethylformamide + iron. When
heated to decomposition it emits highly
toxic fumes of phosgene, HCl, and Cl-. See
other benzenehexachloride entries.
A toxic organochlorine that is persistent
in the environment and accumulates in
mammalian tissue. For cattle, the oral LD50
<= 100 mg/kg. The various isomers have
dlfferent actions; the y (lindane) and a isomers are central nervous system
stimulants, the principal symptom being
convulsions. The p and A isomers are central
nervous system depressants. The use of
thermal vaporizers with lindane has caused
acute poisoning by inhalation.
mixture has been estimated at about 30 g
and the dangerous dose of lindane at about
7 to 15 g. However, as already mentioned, a
single dose of 45 mg (or approximately 0.65
mg/kg) of lindane caused convulsions.
Lindane shows a marked dfference in
toxicity to dfferent species. Its toxic effect
on laboratory animals compares favorably
with that of DDT, but for several domestic
animals, notably calves, hdane is more
toxic than DDT or Qeldrin. On a chronic
systemic basis the a, p and y isomers are
experimental carcinogens. Has been
implicated in aplastic anemia.
Dermatitis and perhaps other
manifestations based on sensitivity represent
a sort of chronic, though probably not
systemic intoxication, which has been
observed in humans.
The signs and symptoms of confirmed
acute poisoning in humans have paralleled
those in experimental animals. These signs
and symptoms are: excitation,
hyperirritability, loss of equhbrium, clonictonic
convulsions, and later depression.There is some evidence that the pulmonary edema and vascular collapse may
be of neurogenic origm also. The symptoms
in animals systemically poisoned by the yisomer
alone are essentially similar to those
caused by mixtures, although the onset may
be earlier. Workers acutely exposed to high
air concentrations of lindane and its
decomposition products show headache,
nausea, and irritation of eyes, nose, and
throat.
In rare instances, urticaria has followed
exposure to lindane vapor. Unlike the signs
and symptoms already mentioned, this
allergic manifestation occurs only in susceptible individuals, and usually only after
a period of sensitization.
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