Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Chlordane Hazards to Fish, Wildlife, and Invertebrates: A Synoptic Review

January 1, 1990

Technical chlordane is an organochlorine compound first introduced into the United States in 1947 in a variety of formulations for use as a broad-spectrum pesticide. By 1974, about 9.5 million kilograms of chlordane were produced annually. Concern over the potential carcinogenicity of chlordane has led to sharply curtailed production. Since 1983, chlordane use in the United States has been prohibited, except for control of underground termites. Chlordane is readily absorbed by warmblooded animals through skin, diet, and inhalation, and distributed throughout the body. In general, residues of chlordane and its metabolites are not measurable in tissues 4 to 8 weeks after exposure, although metabolism rates varied significantly between species. Food chain biomagnification is usually low, except in some marine mammals. In most mammals, the metabolite oxychlordane has proven much more toxic and persistent than the parent chemical.

Publication Year 1990
Title Chlordane Hazards to Fish, Wildlife, and Invertebrates: A Synoptic Review
Authors R. Eisler
Publication Type Report
Publication Subtype Organization Series
Series Title Contaminant Hazard Reviews
Series Number Report 21 ; Biological Report 85(1.21).
Index ID 5200089
Record Source USGS Publications Warehouse
USGS Organization Patuxent Wildlife Research Center