Chlordane Case Study

Improved Essays
There is not enough evidence to support the correlation between Chlordane, a persistent organic pollutant chemical, and Kidney Cancer. Chlordane was used on U.S. farmland from 1948 to 1988 until it was banned due to the environmental and human harms that were caused by exposure. However, the use of chlordane is only allowed when treating homes for termites up until 1988. Chlordane has been shown to affect the human nervous system, digestive system, and the liver. Chlordane can enter the body through skin if it comes into contact with contaminated soil. It can also enter the body via the lungs if the clean air has been contaminated. Uptake can also occur at a faster rate into the digestive system and skin if chlordane is an oily mixture. There …show more content…
The fatal human dose is expected to be 6g and convulsive symptoms occur with an oral amount of 2.25g. In a human exposure case study by the Department of National Health and Welfare, there were no illness found among workers that were exposed to chlordane from one to three years. Examination of 22 workers showed no signs of symptoms that were found in animals that were exposed in labs. Some observable symptoms that should have been found in the workers that were seen in the exposed rats included but not limited to loss of weight, anorexia, nervous disorder, and disturbance of vision and respiration. However, none of these signs were seen in the workers over a long period of constant exposure. This study just talked about how little harm chlordane can cause when it is exposed to workers that were creating this chemical. This study was determining if the chemical can cause harmful effects in a short period of time and it concludes that little harm was seen in these workers. According to a epidemiology study by Cornell University, there was a study of 45 white children with brain cancer diagnosed between 1985 and 1989. Two groups of controls were …show more content…
The first case study explained the harms that came from workers making this organic chemical. However, in the third case study it shows the dangers of consuming chlordane and what they lethal dose is in humans. This case used mice to experiment with the danger of consuming chlordane. By consuming chlordane there was a high chance of cancer growth in the mice. The abnormal situation is that only 2 major types of cancer were found to be caused by chlordane; liver cancer and brain cancer. But with these case studies there are no real long term research that passed 4 years. Most of these case studies concluded on liver or brain cancer in an immediate exposure. There was a lack of studies on humans with only a large amount of research on animals. There is no correlation between kidney cancer and exposure to chlordane. Because if any human the ingested 6g or more of chlordane orally will have an immediate symptom of convulsion. If a human was exposed to chlordane through air the only symptoms are minor ones that can easily be treated with a long period of rest. However, if chlordane was exposed to the environment there will be a detrimental affect to other living organisms in the environment, which only require a small dose for it to be lethal. Humans need a larger dose for it to become dangerous. Since this chemical has since been banned in the U.S. for

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    This is a dangerous, naturally occurring compound that has deadly effects on the human body, especially the respiratory system. Carbon monoxide is one of the deadliest poisons as it is odorless, colorless, and tasteless, and as such, it is very difficult to detect and becomes easy to become overexposed too. Upon excess inhalation a person will experience lightheadedness and vertigo, but can also damage the heart and nervous system until the person suffocates. Key Idea 5 Arsenic is a dangerous poison used often in rat poison.…

    • 586 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Among the other environmental issue, the most pressing health issue in Maryland that I selected as being the top priority and most essential is “Saving the Chesapeake Bay”. The Chesapeake Bay is an estuary, a body of water that is formed where freshwater from streams and rivers flows into the ocean, mixing with sea water. The nation’s water is in jeopardy to 10,000 miles of Maryland streams affected by the polluting industries that carved loopholes in the Clean Water Act.1 "Save the Bay" campaign is the Chesapeake Bay Foundation – the largest conservation organization in Maryland that their mission focus on reducing pollution, restoring and protecting the wetlands and forests. Some of the major issues saving the Bay are not only of saving the 200-mile-long inlet that runs from Havre de Grace, Maryland to Norfolk, Virginia, also the 50 major rivers and streams that pour into the bay each day, and the creeks that feed those rivers and streams.1 A…

    • 515 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Agent Orange was a mixture of chemical defoliants used by the U.S. military forces during the Vietnam War to eliminate forest cover for the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong troops. Before Agent Orange was used, a well-known professor warned the U.S. that the herbicide would be catastrophic to the region exposed. From 1960 to 1970, England, Italy and the U.S. confirmed the dangers of the defoliant for humans and animals. The differences in human illnesses will vary, as batches of chemicals made were not likely monitored. Therefore, it is highly unlikely to have identical batches making it difficult to compare and monitor.…

    • 102 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Decent Essays

    DHMO Persuasive Speech

    • 101 Words
    • 1 Pages

    Should you be concerned? YES! Even though the CNC and Government do not classify DHMO as a toxic or carcinogenic substance. I believe you should still be careful. To be honest, this is the first time I’ve heard of this and I’m freaking out.…

    • 101 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    INTRODUCTION: This case involves Suspect Winter being arrested for H&S 11377(a)-Crystal Methamphetamine. Suspect Meretta was cited and released in the field for H&S 11364(a)-Drug Paraphernalia. LOCATION DESCRIPTION: This incident occurred in the parking lot at 700 E. Washington Boulevard (Washington Park).…

    • 787 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Methamphetamine and its Effects on the Body and Brain Methamphetamine (n-methyl-1-phenyl-propan-2-amine) has a molecular weight of 149.237 g/mol and is an addictive man-made stimulant affecting the central nervous system (Methamphetamines: An Overview, n.d.). There are two different types of methamphetamine: l-meth (Levo-methamphetamine), and d-meth (Dextro-methamphetamine), which is the more common form. It is 2 to 10 times as physiologically active as l-meth (Crystal Meth Facts, n.d.). Methamphetamine comes in pill, powder, clear liquid, and rock form. Crystal meth can be smoked in glass pipes (similar to crack cocaine), but it can also be snorted, swallowed, or injected depending on its form.…

    • 1576 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Chlorine produces a by-product group called trihalomethane and chloroform. Other by-products produced during the disinfection process are bromodichloromethane, chlorodibromethane, bromoform and etc. When these by-products were tested on lab animals many showed carcinogenic signs. In 1996-2001 more than 16 million American consumed dangerous amounts of contaminated tap water. Research found that trihalomethanes have been linked to a wide range of health illnesses ranging from asthma, eczema to bladder cancer and heart diseases.…

    • 1385 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The purpose of the experiment was to determine whether or not Diet. Dr Choice, the off brand equivalent of Diet Dr. Pepper, affects the growth of an organism, and at what dosage said effect would occur at. During the experiment radish seeds are exposed to varying dosages of Diet Dr. Pepper in order to determine how an organism would to varying amounts of exposure to the chemicals within Diet Dr. Pepper. Due to lab restraints the organism used during this experiment was radish seeds due to their quick germination period making the, the ideal test subject for a classroom setting with limited time and resources. The substance tested within this experiment was Diet Dr. Choice because it is the off brand equivalent of Diet Dr. Pepper and contains the same levels of the chemicals caffeine and aspartame as the the actual brand named…

    • 505 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    The use of chlorine has many benefits without a doubt probably the most recognized use is for swimming pools to keep the water clean and clear of disease producing organisms. Chlorine has also been used as a poisonous gas in the past wars. It has been "classified as a choking agent. When inhaled in its concentrated form, it causes a person's lungs to fill with liquid leading to asphyxiation"(Goldman 2016, para 6). How can a chemical such as this be so needed to fight diseases and at the same time be considered a chemical weapon?…

    • 277 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Benzene can be found in certain types of detergents, pesticides, drugs, lubricants, rubbers, and dyes. Once inhaled benzene is rapidly absorbed and widely distributed. Benzene is highly lipophilic and readily crosses the blood brain barrier allowing it to accumulate into the brain. Users experience a feeling of euphoria, headache, and dizziness. Some of the adverse effects of benzene use include serious damage to the bone marrow, toxicity to the reproductive system, impaired immune system, and there is an increased risk of…

    • 1030 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The Love Canal Tragedy

    • 1341 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Love Canal Sophie Albright The Love Canal tragedy, in 1942, caused conflict and stirred up arguments, socially, economically, and environmentally. Unwanted chemicals from various experiments and projects from different companies and groups were dumped at a waste site in Niagara Falls, New York, thinking the landfill would cause no harm. The chemicals were then, out of sight, out of mind.…

    • 1341 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Is Ddt Good Or Bad

    • 999 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The evidence suggests that the insecticide is a harmful and cancer producing. People who are exposed to high levels of it have higher chances of being diagnosed with cancer. “Study Ties DDT to Cancer Cases,” says, “Women with the highest exposure to the pesticide DDT had four times the breast cancer risk of women with the least exposure, a study showed yesterday.” When people are uncovered to a generous amount of DDT their chances of cancer is likely, compared to people who are exposed to low levels of the chemical. A common argument against insecticide is it causes cancerous growths, but the insecticide does not create cancers or have cancer creating substances.…

    • 999 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Acrylamide Lab Report

    • 989 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Several studies have attempted to correlate acrylamide consumption to a number of different cancer risks after a number of different exposures (smoking, dietary, dermal). However, none of the studies used entirely trustworthy data, and either made assumptions about the population that disqualified the research (such as assuming dietary trends based on geography), or had too small a population to be statistically significant. 4.3 Uncertainties Related to Toxicity Information Two separate 2year bioassays (Friedman et al., 1995, 224307; Johnson et al., 1986, 061340) corroborate the presence of thyroid, skin, lung, and CNSrelated cancers as a result of acrylamide exposure. These experiments were performed on the same species of mouse however, which limits the amount of confidence one can have in how acrylamide may specifically react with other organisms.…

    • 989 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Vaccines Toxic Essay

    • 1718 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Are Vaccines Toxic? The subject on vaccine being dangerous raises many sensitive conflicts/arguments between doctors, families and the U.S regulators ever sense the FDA approved the vaccine. Vaccines became one of the biggest accomplishments to society. Vaccines are made to prepare the immune system by arousing the antibodies and encouraging them to fight and defend the body from infectious diseases; it provides a boost for the defense system.…

    • 1718 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Over the last several decades the topic of animal testing for cosmetic purposes has taken the world by surprise. The throngs of questions concerning this matter have skyrocketed, yet how often are these concerns addressed? For that matter, how many citizens even understand what cosmetic animal testing entails? As defined by Humane Society International, “the term ‘animal testing’ refers to procedures performed on living animals for purposes of research into basic biology” (About Animal Testing). These procedures typically result in pain, physiological distress, and in extreme cases, death.…

    • 1600 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays

Related Topics