Section 1 - CHEMICAL PRODUCT AND COMPANY IDENTIFICATION

PRODUCT NAME

LINDANE

NFPA

PRODUCT USE

Active component of insecticides, larvicide, acaricide. Available as preparations;
emulsifiable concentrates, solvent solutions, dusts, baits, tablets. This use has been
largely discontinued because of toxicity concerns, i.e. absorption through skin, high
volatility. The toxicity of technical grade lindane and is related to the amount of gamma-
hexachlorocylcohexane present, which is the most actively toxic isomer. Available as
dilute preparations (1 or 2%) for treatment of head lice. Intermediate

SYNONYMS

C6-H6-Cl6, "1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6-hexachlorocyclohexane gamma isomer", "1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6-
hexachlorocyclohexane gamma isomer", "1-alpha, 2-alpha, 3-beta, 4-alpha, 5-alpha, 6-beta-
hexachlorocyclohexane", "1-alpha, 2-alpha, 3-beta, 4-alpha, 5-alpha, 6-beta-
hexachlorocyclohexane", gamma-hexachlorane, gamma-hexachlorocyclohexane, gamma-lindane,
BHC, HCH, HCC, HCCH, hexachlorane, "benzene hexachloridel-gamma-isomer", "gamma-benzene
hexachloride", "gamma benzene hexachloride", "gamma hexachlorocyclohexane", gamma-
hexachlor, HGI, Hortex, Isotex, Lendine, Lentox, Lindafor, Lindagrain, Lindagranox,
Lindosep, Nicochloran, Omnitox, Hexatox, "RCRA Waste No. U129", Silvanol, Hexaverm,
Hexicide, Tri-6, "TAP 85", Lintox, "Milbol 49", Bexol, Gamacid, Gamene, Lorexane,
Chlorosene, Novigam, Isotox, Gammex

Section 2 - HAZARDS IDENTIFICATION

CANADIAN WHMIS SYMBOLS

EMERGENCY OVERVIEW

RISK

Toxic if swallowed.
May cause CANCER.
May cause harm to breastfed babies.
Harmful: danger of serious damage to health by prolonged exposure if swallowed.
Harmful by inhalation and in contact with skin.
Very toxic to aquatic organisms, may cause long- term adverse effects in the
aquatic environment.

POTENTIAL HEALTH EFFECTS

ACUTE HEALTH EFFECTS

SWALLOWED

  Toxic effects may result from the accidental ingestion of the material; animal experiments indicate that ingestion of less than 40 gram may be fatal or may produce serious damage to the health of the individual.  At sufficiently high doses the material may be neurotoxic(i.e. poisonous to the nervous system).  

EYE

  Although the material is not thought to be an irritant, direct contact with the eye may cause transient discomfort characterized by tearing or conjunctival redness (as with windburn). Slight abrasive damage may also result. The material may produce foreign body irritation in certain individuals.  

SKIN

  Skin contact with the material may be harmful; systemic effects may resultfollowing absorption.  The material is not thought to be a skin irritant (as classified using animal models). Abrasive damage however, may result from prolonged exposures. Good hygiene practice requires that exposure be kept to a minimum and that suitable gloves be used in an occupational setting.  Entry into the blood-stream, through, for example, cuts, abrasions or lesions, may produce systemic injury with harmful effects. Examine the skin prior to the use of the material and ensure that any external damage is suitably protected.  

INHALED

  Inhalation of dusts, generated by the material, during the course of normalhandling, may be harmful.  The material is not thought to produce respiratory irritation (as classified using animal models). Nevertheless inhalation of dusts, or fume, especially for prolonged periods, may produce respiratory discomfort and occasionally, distress.  Acute symptoms of exposure to lindanes include dizziness, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, tremors, weakness, convulsions, dyspnea, cyanosis and circulatory collapse. Fatal aplastic anaemia has resulted from exposure to vapouriser fumes.  May be absorbed from the lungs and produce central nervous system effects such as motor hypersensitivity which results in muscle twitching, myoclonic jerking and convulsive seizures. Convulsions may occur with periods of unconsciousness. In gross overexposure convulsions may occur without prior symptoms. Abnormal EEG patterns have been observed - these may persist for months while no other symptoms of poisoning exist.  

CHRONIC HEALTH EFFECTS

  Harmful: danger of serious damage to health by prolonged exposure if swallowed.  Harmful: danger of serious damage to health by prolonged exposure if swallowed.  This material can cause serious damage if one is exposed to it for long periods. It can be assumed that it contains a substance which can produce severe defects. This has been demonstrated via both short- and long-term experimentation.  Limited evidence suggests that repeated or long-term occupational exposure may produce cumulative health effects involving organs or biochemical systems.  There is some evidence to provide a presumption that human exposure to the material may result in impaired fertility on the basis of: some evidence in animal studies of impaired fertility in the absence of toxic effects, or evidence of impaired fertility occurring at around the same dose levels as other toxic effects but which is not a secondary non-  specific consequence of other toxic effects.  Chronic exposure may lead to micropathological changes in the liver and kidneys. [Patty's]  When administered in the diet, technical grade lindane, a mixture of the isomers, alpha (64%), beta (10%), and gamma- (13%), delta- (9%) and epsilon (1%) hexachlorocyclohexane, induced liver tumours in rats.  Benign and malignant tumours were induced in mice fed the beta-isomer. One study using the gamma-isomer (also known as lindane) produced several thyroid tumours in rats. The alpha isomer increased the incidence of liver neoplasms in rats previously induced with N-  nitrosodiethylamine. Four cases of leukaemia have been reported in men exposed to the gamma- isomer and cases of aplastic anaemia have also been reported following exposure. An increase in lung cancer mortality was observed in agricultural workers who had used hexachlorocyclohexane and a variety of other  pesticides and herbicides.  The alpha, beta and delta isomers have a low degree of acute toxicity but are retained for a longer period than lindane (the gamma-isomer); hence they have a higher degree of cumulative toxicity (particularly the beta isomer). [Patty's].  Long term exposure to high dust concentrations may cause changes in lung function i.e. pneumoconiosis; caused by particles less than 0.5 micron penetrating and remaining in the lung. Prime symptom is breathlessness; lung shadows show on X-ray.