Public Health Statement for Aldrin/Dieldrin
Spanish: Aldrín y Dieldrín
CAS#: 309-00-2 (Aldrin); 60-57-1 (Dieldrin)
PDF Versionpdf icon[186 KB]
This Public Health Statement is the
summary chapter from the Toxicological
Profile for Aldrin and Dieldrin. It is one in a series
of Public Health Statements about hazardous substances and
their health effects. A shorter version, the ToxFAQs™,
is also available. This information is important because this
substance may harm you. The effects of exposure to any hazardous
substance depend on the dose, the duration, how you are exposed,
personal traits and habits, and whether other chemicals are
present. For more information, call the ATSDR Information
Center at 1-888-422-8737.
This public health statement tells you
about aldrin and dieldrin and the effects of exposure to these
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
identifies the most serious hazardous waste sites in the nation.
These sites make up the National Priorities List (NPL) and
are the sites targeted for long-term federal cleanup activities.
Aldrin has been found in at least 207 of the 1,613 current
or former NPL sites, and dieldrin has been found in at least
287 of the 1,613 current or former NPL sites. However, the
total number of NPL sites evaluated for these substances is
not known. As more sites are evaluated, the sites at which
aldrin and dieldrin are found may increase. This information
is important because exposure to these substances may harm
you and because these sites may be sources of exposure.
When a substance is released from a large
area, such as an industrial plant, or from a container, such
as a drum or bottle, it enters the environment. This release
does not always lead to exposure. You are exposed to a substance
only when you come in contact with it. You may be exposed
by breathing, eating, or drinking the substance, or by skin
If you are exposed to aldrin or dieldrin,
many factors determine whether you'll be harmed. These factors
include the dose (how much), the duration (how long), and
how you come in contact with them. You must also consider
the other chemicals you're exposed to and your age, sex, diet,
family traits, lifestyle, and state of health.
What are aldrin and dieldrin?
Aldrin and dieldrin are the common names
of two structurally similar compounds that were once used
as insecticides. They are chemicals that are made in the
laboratory and do not occur naturally in the environment.
The scientific name for aldrin is 1,2,3,4,10,10-hexachloro-1,4,4α,5,8,8α-hexahydro-1,4-endo,exo-5,8-dimethanonaphthalene.
The abbreviation for the scientific name of aldrin is HHDN.
Technical-grade aldrin contains not less than 85.5% aldrin.
The trade names used for aldrin include Aldrec, Aldrex, Drinox,
Octalene, Seedrin, and Compound 118. The scientific name
for dieldrin is 1,2,3,4,10,10-hexachloro-6,7-epoxy-1,4,4α,5,6,7,8,8α-octahydro-1,4-endo,exo-5,8-dimethanonaphthalene.
The abbreviation for the scientific name for dieldrin is HEOD.
Technical-grade dieldrin contains not less than 85% dieldrin.
The trade names used for dieldrin include Alvit, Dieldrix,
Octalox, Quintox, and Red Shield.
Pure aldrin and dieldrin are white powders,
while technical-grade aldrin and dieldrin are tan powders.
Aldrin and dieldrin slowly evaporate in the air. Aldrin evaporates
more readily than dieldrin. Both aldrin and dieldrin have
mild chemical odors. You might find aldrin and dieldrin in
the soil, in water, or in homes where these compounds were
used to kill termites. You might also find aldrin and dieldrin
in plants and animals near hazardous waste sites.
Aldrin and dieldrin are no longer produced
or used. From the 1950s until 1970, aldrin and dieldrin were
used extensively as insecticides on crops such as corn and
cotton. The U.S. Department of Agriculture canceled all uses
of aldrin and dieldrin in 1970. In 1972, however, EPA approved
aldrin and dieldrin for killing termites. Use of aldrin and
dieldrin to control termites continued until 1987. In 1987,
the manufacturer voluntarily canceled the registration for
use in controlling termites.
In this profile, the two chemicals are
discussed together because aldrin readily changes into dieldrin
once it enters either the environment or your body. More
information on the chemical and physical properties of aldrin
and dieldrin is found in Chapter 4. More information on the
production and use of aldrin and dieldrin is found in Chapter
What happens to aldrin and dieldrin when they enter the environment?
Aldrin and dieldrin can enter the environment
from accidental spills or leaks from storage containers at
waste sites. In the past, aldrin and dieldrin entered the
environment when farmers used these compounds to kill pests
on crops and when exterminators used them to kill termites.
Aldrin and dieldrin are still present in the environment from
these past uses. Sunlight and bacteria in the environment
can change aldrin to dieldrin. Therefore, you can find dieldrin
in places where aldrin was originally released. Dieldrin
in soil or water breaks down (degrades) very slowly. Dieldrin
sticks to soil and may stay there unchanged for many years.
Water does not easily wash dieldrin off soil. Dieldrin does
not dissolve in water very well and is therefore not found
in water at high concentrations. Most dieldrin in the environment
attaches to soil and to sediments at the bottoms of lakes,
ponds, and streams. Dieldrin can travel large distances by
attaching to dust particles, which can then be transported
great distances by the wind. Dieldrin can evaporate slowly
from surface water or soil. In the air, dieldrin changes
to photodieldrin within a few days. Plants can take up dieldrin
from the soil and store it in their leaves and roots. Fish
or animals that eat dieldrin-contaminated materials store
a large amount of the dieldrin in their fat. Animals or fish
that eat other animals have levels of dieldrin in their fat
many times higher than animals or fish that eat plants. For
more information, see Chapters 5 and 6.
How might I be exposed to aldrin and dieldrin?
For most people, exposure to aldrin and
dieldrin occurs when they eat foods contaminated with either
chemical. Contaminated foods might include fish or shellfish
from contaminated lakes or streams, root crops, dairy products,
and meats. Exposure to aldrin and dieldrin also occurs when
you drink water, breathe air, or come into contact with contaminated
soil at hazardous waste sites. Skin contact and breathing
of aldrin and dieldrin by workers who used these chemicals
to kill insects were at one time common. However, aldrin
and dieldrin are no longer produced and no longer used. People
with the greatest potential for exposure include those who
live in homes that were once treated for termites using aldrin
or dieldrin. Studies indicate that people can be exposed
to aldrin and dieldrin years after they were applied in a
Exposure to aldrin is generally limited
because aldrin is changed quickly to dieldrin in the environment.
Dieldrin remains in the environment for a long time and is
usually detected in soil, sediment, and animal fat. Levels
of both aldrin and dieldrin have decreased over the years
since they are no longer produced or used. The levels of
aldrin and dieldrin in air and water are typically very low.
For more information on human exposure to aldrin and dieldrin,
see Chapter 6.
How can aldrin/dieldrin enter and leave my body?
Aldrin can enter your bloodstream through
your lungs when you breathe air, through your stomach after
eating food or drinking water containing it, or through your
skin. Exposure to aldrin or dieldrin around hazardous waste
sites can mainly occur by breathing contaminated air or touching
contaminated soil. Exposure near hazardous waste sites can
also occur by eating contaminated food or drinking contaminated
water. Exposure of the general population most likely occurs
through eating food contaminated with aldrin or dieldrin.
Exposure of some infants occurs by drinking mother's milk
containing aldrin or dieldrin. Studies in animals show that
both aldrin and dieldrin enter the body quickly after exposure.
Once aldrin is inside your body, it quickly changes to dieldrin.
Dieldrin then stays in your fat for a long time. Dieldrin
can change to other products. Most dieldrin and its breakdown
products leave your body in the feces. Some breakdown products
can also leave in the urine. It can take many weeks or years
for all of the compound to leave your body. Chapter 3 contains
more information on how aldrin and dieldrin enter and leave
How can aldrin/dieldrin affect my health?
Aldrin and dieldrin affect your health
in similar ways. Symptoms of aldrin and dieldrin poisoning
have been seen in people who were exposed to very large amounts
of these pesticides during their manufacture. Symptoms of
poisoning have also been seen in people who intentionally
or accidentally ate or drank large amounts of aldrin or dieldrin.
Most of these people experienced convulsions or other nervous
system effects, and some had kidney damage. Some people who
intentionally ate or drank large amounts of aldrin or dieldrin
died. Health effects in people exposed to smaller amounts
of aldrin or dieldrin occur because levels of the chemicals
build up in the body over time. Exposure to moderate levels
of aldrin or dieldrin for a long time causes headaches, dizziness,
irritability, vomiting, or uncontrollable muscle movements.
Some sensitive people seem to develop a condition in which
aldrin or dieldrin causes the body to destroy its own blood
cells. We do not know whether aldrin or dieldrin affects
the ability of people to fight diseases. We also do not know
whether aldrin or dieldrin affects the ability of men to father
children, or causes birth defects or cancer in people. The
International Agency for Research on Cancer has determined
that aldrin and dieldrin are not classifiable as to their
carcinogenicity to humans. Based on studies in animals, the
EPA has determined that aldrin and dieldrin are probable human
To protect the public from the harmful
effects of toxic chemicals and to find ways to treat people
who have been harmed, scientists use many tests. One way
to see if a chemical will hurt people is to learn how the
chemical is absorbed, used, and released by the body; for
some chemicals, animal testing may be necessary. Animal testing
may also be used to identify health effects such as cancer
or birth defects. Without laboratory animals, scientists
would lose a basic method to get information needed to make
wise decisions to protect public health. Scientists have
the responsibility to treat research animals with care and
compassion. Laws today protect the welfare of research animals,
and scientists must comply with strict animal care guidelines.
Results from animal studies show that
high levels of aldrin and dieldrin cause effects on the nervous
system and on the kidneys similar to those seen in people.
Results from animal studies also show additional effects of
aldrin and dieldrin after exposure to lower levels for longer
periods. We do not know whether these effects also occur
in people. These other health effects of aldrin and dieldrin
in animals include changes in the liver and reduced ability
to fight infections. In addition, animals born to mothers
who have eaten large amounts of aldrin or dieldrin do not
live very long. This results, in part, from the newly born
animals being poisoned by aldrin or dieldrin in the mother's
milk. Studies in animals give conflicting information about
whether aldrin and dieldrin cause birth defects. Studies
in animals also give conflicting information about whether
aldrin and dieldrin make it more difficult for male animals
to reproduce. Some studies show that aldrin and dieldrin
may damage sperm. Aldrin and dieldrin have been shown to
cause liver cancer in mice, but not in other species of animals.
Additional information regarding the
health effects of aldrin and dieldrin can be found in Chapter
How can aldrin/dieldrin affect children?
This section discusses potential health
effects from exposures during the period from conception to
maturity at 18 years of age in humans. Potential effects
on children resulting from exposures of the parents are also
Children can be exposed to aldrin or
dieldrin in the same ways as adults, mainly by eating food
contaminated with aldrin or dieldrin, or by exposure in homes
treated for termites using aldrin or dieldrin. Children can
also be exposed by coming into contact with aldrin- or dieldrin-contaminated
water, air, or soil near hazardous waste sites. There are
no known unique exposure pathways for children. We do not
know if children's intake of aldrin or dieldrin per kilogram
of body weight is different than that of adults.
Adults and children who swallowed (either
by accident or on purpose) amounts of aldrin or dieldrin that
were much greater than those found in the environment suffered
convulsions, and some died. We do not know whether children
differ from adults in their susceptibility to health effects
from aldrin or dieldrin exposure.
We do not know whether aldrin or dieldrin
affect the ability of people to have children or whether they
cause birth defects in children. Some studies in animals
show that females given aldrin or dieldrin by mouth have smaller
numbers of babies. Some other studies show that large amounts
of aldrin damage the testes, but it is unknown whether such
large amounts affect the ability of animals to reproduce.
Pregnant animals given aldrin or dieldrin by mouth had some
babies with low birth weights and some with skeletal variations.
Because these effects occurred in animals, they might also
occur in humans. Aldrin and dieldrin can cross the placenta.
Dieldrin has been found in human breast milk. More information
on this topic can be found in Sections 3.7 and 6.6.
How can families reduce the risk of exposure to aldrin or dieldrin?
If your doctor finds that you have been
exposed to significant amounts of aldrin or dieldrin, ask
whether your children might also be exposed. Your doctor
might need to ask your state health department to investigate.
Since aldrin and dieldrin are no longer
produced or used, exposure to these compounds will occur from
past usage. Families with the greatest risk of exposure to
aldrin and dieldrin are those living in homes that were once
treated with either chemical for termite protection. Aldrin
and dieldrin were usually applied to the basement level of
homes to protect the foundation from termites. Studies indicate
that detectable levels of both chemicals can exist in a home
for up to 10 years after the first application. Before buying
a home, families should investigate what, if any, pesticides
have been used within the home.
Is there a medical test to determine whether I have been exposed to aldrin/dieldrin?
Aldrin is quickly changed to dieldrin
in the body, and dieldrin can be measured in your blood, urine,
and body tissues if you have been exposed to a large amount.
Tests to measure aldrin or dieldrin in such bodily tissues
or fluids are not usually available at a doctor's office because
special equipment is needed. However, a sample taken in the
doctor's office can be properly packed and shipped to a special
laboratory, if necessary. Because aldrin changes to dieldrin
fairly quickly in the body, these methods are useful for finding
aldrin only within a few days after you are exposed to aldrin.
Since dieldrin can stay in the body for months, measurements
of dieldrin can be made for much longer after you are exposed
to either aldrin or dieldrin. The test results cannot be
used to predict if you will have any adverse health effects.
Exposure to other chemicals at the same time as exposure to
aldrin and/or dieldrin could cause some confusion in understanding
test results for aldrin and/or dieldrin. More information
about tests to find dieldrin in the body is presented in Chapters
3 and 7.
What recommendations has the federal government made to protect human health?
The federal government develops regulations
and recommendations to protect public health. Regulations can be enforced by law. Federal agencies that develop
regulations for toxic substances include the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA), the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA), and the Food and Drug Administration
Recommendations provide valuable guidelines
to protect public health but cannot be enforced by
law. Federal organizations that develop recommendations for
toxic substances include the Agency for Toxic Substances and
Disease Registry (ATSDR) and the National Institute for Occupational
Safety and Health (NIOSH).
Regulations and recommendations can be
expressed in not-to-exceed levels in air, water, soil, or
food that are usually based on levels that affect animals;
then they are adjusted to help protect people. Sometimes
these not-to-exceed levels differ among federal organizations
because of different exposure times (an 8-hour workday or
a 24-hour day), the use of different animal studies, or other
Recommendations and regulations are also
periodically updated as more information becomes available.
For the most current information, check with the federal agency
or organization that provides it. Some regulations and recommendations
for aldrin and dieldrin include the following:
The federal government has developed
regulatory standards and guidelines to protect people from
the harmful health effects of aldrin and dieldrin. In 1974,
EPA banned all uses of aldrin or dieldrin except as a termite
killer. In 1981, EPA required labeling changes to warn against
applying these chemicals near water supplies, heating ducts,
or crawl spaces. They also warned against applying them too
EPA advises lifetime drinking water exposure
concentration limits (DWELs, see Table 8-1) for aldrin and
dieldrin of 0.001 and 0.002 mg/L, respectively, for protection
against adverse noncancer health effects, that assume all
of the exposure to the contaminant is from drinking water.
Regarding cancer risk, EPA advises a lower drinking water
exposure concentration limit of 0.0002 mg/L for aldrin and
dieldrin that would, in theory, limit the lifetime risk for
developing cancer from exposure to each compound to 1 in 10,000.
The FDA regulates the residues of aldrin
and dieldrin in raw foods. The allowable range for residues
is from 0 to 0.1 ppm depending on the type of food product.
This limits the intake of aldrin and dieldrin in food to levels
considered to be safe.
EPA has named aldrin and dieldrin as
hazardous solid waste materials. If quantities greater than
1 pound enter the environment, the National Response Center
of the federal government must be told immediately.
OSHA recommended a maximum average amount
of aldrin and dieldrin in the air in the workplace to protect
workers. This amount is 250 micrograms in a cubic meter of
air (µg/m³) for an 8-hour workday over a 40-hour
workweek. NIOSH recommended the same limit (250 µg/m³)
for both compounds for up to a 10-hour workday over a 40-hour
workweek. For more information, see Chapter 8.
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease
Registry (ATSDR). 2002. Toxicological profile for Aldrin/Dieldrin.
Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service.
Where can I get more information?
If you have questions or concerns, please contact your community or state health or environmental quality department or:
For more information, contact:
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
Division of Toxicology and Human Health Sciences
4770 Buford Highway
Chamblee, GA 30341-3717
Phone: 1-800-CDC-INFO 888-232-6348 (TTY)
Email: Contact CDC-INFO
ATSDR can also tell you the location of occupational and environmental health clinics. These clinics specialize in recognizing, evaluating, and treating illnesses resulting from exposure to hazardous substances.