Methoxychlor

Synonyms

1,1'-(2,2,2-Trichloroethylidene)bis(4-methoxybenzene); 1,1,1-Trichlor-2,2-bis(4-methoxy-phenyl)-aethan [German]; 1,1,1-Trichloro-2,2-bis(4-methoxyphenyl)ethane; 1,1,1-Trichloro-2,2-bis(p-anisyl)ethane; 1,1,1-Trichloro-2,2-bis(p-methoxyphenyl)ethane; 1,1,1-Trichloro-2,2-di(4-methoxyphenyl)ethane; 1,1-Bis(p-methoxyphenyl)-2,2,2-trichloroethane; 2,2,2-Trichloro-1,1-bis(4-methoxyphenyl)ethane; 2,2-Bis(p-anisyl)-1,1,1-trichloroethane; 2,2-Bis(p-methoxyphenyl)-1,1,1-trichloroethane; 2,2-Di-(p-methoxyphenyl)-1,1,1-trichloroethane; 2,2-Di-p-anisyl-1,1,1-trichloroethane; 4,4-(2,2,2-Trichloroethylidene)dianisole; Chemform; DMDT; Dianisyl trichloroethane; Dianisyltrichlorethane; Dimethoxy-DDT; Ethane, 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(p-methoxyphenyl)-; Ethane, 2,2-bis(p-anisyl)-1,1,1-trichloro-; Higalmetox; Maralate; Marlate; Methoxcide; Methoxy-DDT; Methoxychlor; Methoxychlor 2 EC; Methoxychlor, technical; Methoxychlore [ISO-French]; Metoksychlor [Polish]; Metox; Mezox K; Moxie; OMS 466; p,p'-Dimethoxydiphenyltrichloroethane; p,p'-Dwumetoksydwufenylotrojchloroetan [Polish]; p,p'-Methoxychlor; [ChemIDplus]

Category

Organochlorine Pesticides

Description

Colorless to light-yellow crystals with a slight, fruity odor. [insecticide]; [NIOSH]

Sources/Uses

Used to kill insects on fruits, vegetables, and forest crops; used to kill parasites on cattle; [EXTOXNET]

Comments

Methoxychlor is classified as "practically nontoxic" with an LD50 of 5-6 gm/kg in rats. It does not accumulate in tissues of mammals, but is highly toxic to fish. It persists in the soil with a half-life estimate of 120 days. [EXTOXNET] High-dose animal studies show that organochlorine insecticides can cause liver injury. [LaDou, p. 593] "No evidence of hepatic injury in humans as the result of environmental contamination." [Zimmerman, p. 414]

Reference Link #1

Biomedical References

Insufficient data

Yes

10 mg/m3

15 mg/m3, total dust

1 mg/m3, inhalable fraction

5000 mg/m3

2.58E-06 mm Hg

Animal studies: most of dose eliminated within a few days;; [TDR, p. 837]

Reference Link #2

Hepatoxic (a) from occupational exposure (secondary effect) or (b) in animal studies or in humans after ingestion

Not classifiable

Not Classifiable

Other Poison

Organochlorine

Diseases

Occupational diseases associated with exposure to this agent:

• Organochlorine insecticides, acute poisoning

Processes

Industrial Processes with risk of exposure:

• Farming (Pesticides)