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Aldrin is an organochlorine insecticide that was widely used until the 1990s, when it was banned in most countries. Aldrin is a member of the so-called "classic organochlorines" (COC) group of pesticides. COCs enjoyed a very sharp rise in popularity during and after The Second World War. Other noteworthy examples of COCs include DDT. After research showed that organochlorines can be highly toxic to the ecosystem through bioaccumulation, most were banned from use. It is a colourless solid. Before the ban, it was heavily used as a pesticide to treat seed and soil. Aldrin and related "cyclodiene" pesticides (a term for pesticides derived from Hexachlorocyclopentadiene) became notorious as persistent organic pollutants. The structure formula of aldrin is C12H8Cl6. The molecule has a molecular weight of 364.896 g/mol. The melting point of aldrin is a temperature of 105 °C and the octanol-water partition coefficient is 6.5 (logP). Pure aldrin takes form as a white crystalline powder. Though it is not soluble in water (0.003% solubility), aldrin dissolves very well in organic solvents, such as ketones and paraffins. Aldrin decays very slowly once released into the environment. Though it is rapidly converted to dieldrin by plants and bacteria, dieldrin maintains the same toxic effects and slow decay of aldrin. Aldrin is easily transported through the air by dust particles. Aldrin does not react with mild acids or bases and is stable in an environment with a pH between 4 and 8. It is highly flammable when exposed to temperatures above 200 °C In the presence of oxidizing agents aldrin reacts with concentrated acids and phenols. Aldrin is not formed in nature. It is synthesized by combining hexachlorocyclopentadiene with norbornadiene in a Diels-Alder reaction to give the adduct. In 1967, the composition of technical-grade aldrin was reported to consist of 90.5% of hexachlorohexahydrodimethanonaphthalene (HHDN). Similarly, an isomer of aldrin, known as isodrin, is produced by reaction of hexachloronobornadiene with cyclopentadiene.

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Endosulfan

Endosulfan is an off-patent organochlorine insecticide and acaricide that is being phased out globally. It became a highly controversial agrichemical due to its acute toxicity, potential for bioaccumulation, and role as an endocrine disruptor. Because of its threats to human health and the environment, a global ban on the manufacture and use of endosulfan was negotiated under the Stockholm Convention in April 2011. The ban has taken effect in mid-2012, with certain uses exempted for five additional years.

Persistent organic pollutant

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are organic compounds that are resistant to degradation through chemical, biological, and photolytic processes. They are toxic chemicals that adversely affect human health and the environment around the world. Because they can be transported by wind and water, most POPs generated in one country can and do affect people and wildlife far from where they are used and released.

Organochlorine chemistry

Organochlorine chemistry is concerned with the properties of organochlorine compounds, or organochlorides, organic compounds containing at least one covalently bonded atom of chlorine. The chloroalkane class (alkanes with one or more hydrogens substituted by chlorine) includes common examples. The wide structural variety and divergent chemical properties of organochlorides lead to a broad range of names, applications, and properties.

MIL-101(Fe)/g-C3N4 for enhanced visible-light-driven photocatalysis toward simultaneous reduction of Cr(VI) and oxidation of bisphenol A in aqueous media

Kevin Sivula, Nestor Guijarro Carratala, Yongpeng Liu, Feiping Zhao

Heterostructured composites with an excellent photocatalytic activity have attracted increasing attention because of their great application in environmental remediation. Herein, a MIL-101(Fe)/g-C3N4 heterojunction was synthesized via in-situ growth of MIL ...

ELSEVIER2020

Biodegradability of HCH in agricultural soils from Guadeloupe (French West Indies): identification of lin genes, involved in HCH degradation pathway

Luiz Felippe De Alencastro

Banana has been a main agricultural product in the French West Indies (Guadeloupe and Martinique) since the 1960s. This crop requires the intensive use of pesticides to prevent attacks by insect pests. Chlorinated pesticides, such as hexachlorocyclohexane ...

Springer Heidelberg2016

Assessment of occupational exposure to pesticides with multi-class pesticide residues analysis in human hairs using a modified QuEChERS extraction method, case study of gardening areas in Burkina Faso

Luiz Felippe De Alencastro, Edouard René Gilbert Lehmann, Christelle Oltramare, Jean-Jacques Stéphane Nfon Dibie

Pesticides have been proved to potentially cause multiple adverse health effects. The present study is part of a global project focusing on pesticides impacts on the environment and human health in gardening in Burkina Faso. In absence of existing monitori ...

2016