Dieldrin Insecticide
Avoid Dieldrin Insecticide
Dieldrin is an organochloride originally produced in 1948 by J. Hyman & Co, Denver, as an insecticide. Dieldrin is closely related to aldrin, which reacts further to form dieldrin. Aldrin is not toxic to insects; it is oxidized in the insect to form dieldrin which is the active compound. Because of concerns about damage to the environment and potentially to human health, EPA banned all uses of aldrin and dieldrin in 1974, except to control termites. In 1987, EPA banned all uses.
Dieldrin is readily absorbed by inhalation, ingestion, or the skin. Once it is in the body, the majority is metabolized and excreted in the feces, and the rest is stored in fat cells. It can take many weeks or years for all the dieldrin to leave one's body, assuming additional exposures do not occur.
People exposed to large amounts of dieldrin, by any route of exposure, have been seen to experience convulsions and death. Chronic exposure to low to moderate levels of dieldrin has been shown to cause headaches, dizziness, irritability, vomiting, and uncontrolled muscle movements. Workers removed from the source of exposure rapidly recovered from most of these effects.
Dieldrin is a persistent environmental contaminant, adheres strongly to soil, and is bioaccumulative. It can be found in soil and in most watersheds due to soil runoff, and the majority of dieldrin is found attached to soils at the bottom of lakes, ponds, and streams. It is also found in animal fat.
