Miscellaneous Chlorinated Hydrocarbon Pesticides

Abstract

This chapter presents information on chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticides. The chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticides belong to a structural class containing carbon, hydrogen, and chlorine; some contain oxygen. Although many pesticides can meet this basic definition, organochloride hydrocarbons, the focus of this chapter, share basic characteristics of high persistence (where persistence is defined as halflife greater than 2 months in water or 6 months in soil sediment), low polarity, low aqueous solubility and high lipid solubility. This group contains pesticides such as dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane (DDD), lindane. chlordane, aldrin, dieldrin, endrin, heptachlor, toxaphene, and mirex. Based on their persistence in the environments, chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticides are considered persistent organic pollutants (POPs).