print this window A Summary Of CHLORDANE AND HEALTH ISSUES by Wayne Sinclair, M.D. Richard W. Pressinger, M.Ed.
AirTech/Chem-Tox
ALERT
Chlordane was the pesticide used to prevent or eliminate termites during the 1950's, 60's, 70's and 80's. However, after many reports of serious illness among both adults and children following its application and links to cancer in animals, chlordane was finally banned by the EPA in March of 1988. Unfortunately, the ban did not take place until over 30 million homes throughout the U.S. had been treated. Concerns in Florida are even greater because of the increased termite problem and the fact that research shows chlordane is higher in homes built on sandy soils.
Most homeowners are unaware that just before the concrete slab was poured for their home's foundation, a pesticide company had come in and saturated the soil with 100 gallons of chlordane per 1000 square feet of area. People were literally building their homes on top of a toxic chemical dump. The public was reassured by the pesticide industry and entomologists that this was a safe procedure and that the chemical would not enter into the home because of the barrier provided by the cement foundation. However, this turned out not to be the case.
Homes Remain Contaminated For Decades
Unfortunately, this is turning out not to be an isolated case. Further studies by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Regulation and other agencies have found similar results in hundreds of homes in New Jersey and New York. Of great concern, when testing 64 homes built before 1980, researchers found more than 30% of the homes contained chlordane levels above the safety limits set by the National Academy of Sciences (2).
Illnesses Linked To Chlordane Home Exposure
An important point of this study is that researchers divided the 261 people into three groups based on the level of chlordane found in their homes. These included:
LOW EXPOSURE (under 1 microgram of chlordane per cubic meter of air in the home)
Separating people into these groups is done in order to look for what is called a "dose-response" effect, which strongly suggests that the chemical is in fact causing the illnesses. A dose-response effect means that as the amount of chlordane in the air increases, we would also see a corresponding increase in health problems. This is in fact, exactly what the researchers stated they had found. In conclusion, Dr. Clark stated,
How To Test Your Home For Chlordane
Return To List of Illnesses Caused by Chlordane
Macrophages Paralyzed By Chlordane
How To Test Your Home For Chlordane
Return To List of Illnesses Caused by Chlordane
Return To List of Illnesses Caused by Chlordane
Along with the neurological problems found among people living in chlordane treated homes in the previous study at the University of Southern California, the researchers also found significant increases in many other health symptoms among the families living in the chlordane homes. These included significant increases in allergies, cough, bronchitis, wheezing, asthma and shortness of breath at rest and while walking and climbing stairs.
How To Test Your Home For Chlordane
Return To List of Illnesses Caused by Chlordane
A 1987 study at the School of Public Health, University of Illinois Medical Center, reported 25 new cases of various blood problems with the majority occurring following chlordane termite treatment. These included more examples of leukemias and anemias (8).
In a study reported by Velsicol (the manufacturer of chlordane), it was found that when monkeys were exposed for 90 days to air chlordane levels of 100 micrograms per cubic meter of air, they were more likely to develop a condition known as leukopenia (9), which means their disease fighting white blood cells dropped to a dangerously low number. Leukopenia often predisposes an individual to increased colds, flu, and infections. Levels of 250 micrograms per cubic meter of air chlordane have been reported in some chlordane treated homes, which is two and one-half times higher than the level causing leukopenia in the animals.
Chlordane exposure has also been linked to causing an increase in leukemias among agricultural workers. 1,084 death certificates of leukemia cases among Nebraska residents during the years 1957-1974 were matched with 2,168 deaths from other causes. These farmers exhibited a considerably higher risk of acute leukemia in counties where corn was grown in large quantities (10). Similarly, death certificates from Iowa for 1,675 white males over the age of 30 years who died of leukemia were investigated for possible causes of the cancer. Iowa farmers had a higher risk for lymphatic leukemia in counties where there was extensive production of corn and soy bean. There was also an association of death from leukemia with the amount of corn produced per acre. During the period of these studies, one of the major agricultural uses of chlordane was on corn crops.
How To Test Your Home For Chlordane
Return To List of Illnesses Caused by Chlordane
Follow-up blood tests of the woman, conducted monthly, showed abnormal liver function indicators that "track exactly with the levels of pesticide in her blood," stated Dr. Alexander, who as a physician had been clinically involved in the case. Even though the levels of heptachlorepoxide (the form stored in the body) never exceeded 3 parts per billion in blood, Dr. Alexander stated, "We're now able to say that she has a mild chemical hepatitis-representing liver damage, caused by these pesticides.."
This report appeared in Science News, November 24, 1984.
How To Test Your Home For Chlordane
Return To List of Illnesses Caused by Chlordane
According to the researchers at the Statistical Research Unit, University of Copenhagen, Denmark, cancer of the male testicles has increased over 3-fold from 1940 to 1980. The frequency of hypospadias (the opening of the penis on the underside) in England has doubled from 0.15% in 1964 to 0.36% in 1983. Similar increases were also reported from Sweden and Hungary. Recent British data also detected a near doubling of cryptorchidism. This problem has risen from 1.6% of the boys born in the 1950's to 2.9% born in the late 1970's.
The researchers also performed a detailed survey of the international literature on sperm and semen levels published between 1930 and 1991. Compiling information from over 61 papers and 14,947 males, indicated a significant decline in average sperm density form 113 million per milliliter in 1940 to 66 million per milliliter in 1990. The mean semen volume also declined from 3.40 milliliters to 2.75 milliliters (a nearly 20% drop). This means that the total sperm count decreased even more than that expressed by sperm density.
These figures show that men are producing only about half as much sperm per ejaculation today as they did in the 1940's. This should generate concern as research has shown that as sperm count decreases, there is an increase in the risk of birth defects, miscarriages and general problems with the child. Therefore, these figures suggest that we should be observing a greater number of health and neurological problems among our children due to the connection between lower sperm count and lower sperm quality resulting from exposure of the male population to widespread environmental chemicals.
In conclusion the researchers stated,
KBLOCKQUOTE>"Recent data clearly indicate that the semen quality has markedly decreased during the period 1938-1990, and concomitantly the incidence of some genitourinary abnormalities including hypospadias, maldescent, and cancer has increased. Such a remarkable increment in the occurrence of gonadal abnormalities over a relatively short period of time is more likely to be due to environmental rather than genetic factors. Generally, it is believed that pollution, smoking, alcohol, and sexually transmitted diseases play a role."
Because of the widespread contamination of chlordane in American homes (the chemical emits vapors for decades after treatment) and its link with causing abnormalities in blood and childhood blood and brain cancer, Dr. David Ozonoff, of the Boston School of Public Health, stated there is an "urgent need for legislation creating a national program for monitoring homes known to have been treated to detect persistent contamination with these highly dangerous pesticides."
This persistent exposure to the U.S. population raises serious concerns regarding the effects of the chemical upon male and female fertility. Therefore, it is important to look at the research that addresses this issue.
Male Infertility Increases After Chlordane Exposure in Test Animals
This research was conducted by Dr. K. J. Balash and colleagues at the Biological Research Center, Scientific Research Council, Baghdad, Iraq (13).
How Chlordane Causes Infertility in Female Test Animals
In the first experiment, the results showed 27% of mice exposed to only corn oil conceived while only 3% of mice exposed to chlordane mixed with corn oil conceived.
In the second experiment, the results showed 29% of the mice exposed to only corn oil conceived while 19% of mice exposed to chlordane mixed with corn oil conceived.
In the third experiment, the results showed 50% of the mice exposed to only corn oil conceived, while 20% of mice exposed to chlordane mixed with corn oil conceived.
To help explain why the decreases in fertilization was being observed, the scientists found that chlordane exposure was causing excessive metabolism in the liver of important estrogen compounds necessary for reproduction. In other words, the chlordane was actually causing the liver to remove estrogen at too rapid a rate, thereby decreasing its level in the female body to unusually low levels. Not only was fertility success lower, but it was found that the uterine weight of the chlordane exposed animals was also up to 34% lower. With approximately 7% of U.S. homes being tested showing unsafe levels of chlordane, it would certainly be of interest to determine the air chlordane levels of homes where couples were having trouble conceiving.
This study was conducted by R.M. Welch and colleagues at the Wellcome Research Laboratories, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina published in the journal Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, 19:234-246 (1971).
How To Test Your Home For Chlordane
Return To List of Illnesses Caused by Chlordane
The testing of other schools for chlordane has sometimes been a little more difficult. East Fairmont High School in West Virginia was also having its own problems with sick-building syndrome. Students and teachers complained of headaches, rashes and tremors. The parents hired their own private toxicologist, Dr. Robert Simon, to perform tests. He found several pesticides including chlordane and concluded that the school needed an extensive hazardous waste clean-up.
The Marion County Board of Education followed by hiring a law firm to put together another group to retest the school. This time it found lower levels of the chemicals. The board then hired two independent consultants to analyze both test results, they concluded that there was nothing hazardous at the school. It was recommended only to clean the art room, cafeteria and kitchen as a matter of "good housekeeping and hygiene." Although the board maintained that the school never posed a health risk, it authorized a clean-up in August 1991 that cost $15,000.
Some parents were still upset. They alleged that two other firms were hired and then fired by the school board when they found the school to be unsafe. The parents and teachers still wanted a third test to be done by a federal agency such as NIOSH. Although such testing wouldn't cost the district anything, the school board would not agree to it. As a result, five lawsuits were filed against the board and more were expected (14).
How To Test Your Home For Chlordane
Return To List of Illnesses Caused by Chlordane
Chlordane Information & Testing Department 3020 20th Street Vero Beach, Florida 32960
Tel. 1-888-497-0900 (toll free)
REFERENCES
New York State Health Department, Bureau of Toxic Substances Assessment: Testimony on proposed amendments to termiticide regulations, May 24, 1984(also reported in Teratogenesis, Carcinogenesis, and Mutagenesis, Volume 7, page 537, (1987)
Bulletin of Environmental Contamination Toxicology, 27:406 (1981)
Bulletin of Environmental Contamination Toxicology, 39:903 (1987)
Archives of Environmental Health, 43(5):349-352 (1988)
Archives of Environmental Health, 47(4):295-301 (1992)
Agents & Actions Journal, 37:140-146 (1992)
Scandinavian Journal of Work & Environmental Health, 4:137-150(1978) Blood Dyscrasias and Childhood Tumors And Exposure To Chlordane and Heptachlor.
Teratogenesis, Carcinogenesis, and Mutagenesis, 7:527-540 (1987)Leukemias and Blood Dyscrasias Following Exposure to Chlordane and Heptachlor
Huntingdon Research Laboratories: Chlordane: A Ninety-Day Inhalation Toxicity Study in the Rat and the Monkey. Unpublished report to the Velsicol Company, June 1984 (also reported in Teratogenesis, Carcinogenesis and Mutagenesis, Volume 7, page 535, 1987)
American J of Epidemiology, 109:309-319 (1979), Blair A, Thomas T.L.: Leukemia among Nebraska farmers: A death certificate study.
American Journal of Epidemiology, 115:720-728 (1982) Leukemia and Farm Practices In Iowa.
Bulletin of Environmental Contamination Toxicology, 39:434-442 (1987)Chlordane Damages Sperm Development
Environmental Health Perspectives. Supplement, 101(2):65-71 (1993) Decreases in Male Fertility due to Environmental Factors |