Methoxychlor Safety Data Sheets

Acute toxicity - Category 4, Oral

Specific target organ toxicity – single exposure, Category 2

Hazardous to the aquatic environment, short-term (Acute) - Category Acute 1

If inhaled

Following skin contact

Following eye contact

Following ingestion

Toxicity is relatively low. Inhalation or ingestion causes generalized depression. (USCG, 1999)

Special Hazards of Combustion Products: Irritating and toxic hydrogen chloride gas may be formed in fire. (USCG, 1999)

Use water spray, powder, alcohol-resistant foam, carbon dioxide.

Personal protection: particulate filter respirator adapted to the airborne concentration of the substance. Sweep spilled substance into sealable containers. If appropriate, moisten first to prevent dusting. Carefully collect remainder. Then store and dispose of according to local regulations. Do NOT let this chemical enter the environment.

Personal protection: particulate filter respirator adapted to the airborne concentration of the substance. Sweep spilled substance into sealable containers. If appropriate, moisten first to prevent dusting. Carefully collect remainder. Then store and dispose of according to local regulations. Do NOT let this chemical enter the environment.

SRP: Wastewater from contaminant suppression, cleaning of protective clothing/equipment, or contaminated sites should be contained and evaluated for subject chemical or decomposition product concentrations. Concentrations shall be lower than applicable environmental discharge or disposal criteria. Alternatively, pretreatment and/or discharge to a POTW is acceptable only after review by the governing authority. Due consideration shall be given to remediation worker exposure (inhalation, dermal and ingestion) as well as fate during treatment, transfer and disposal. If it is not practicable to manage the chemical in this fashion, it must meet Hazardous Material Criteria for disposal.

NO open flames. Handling in a well ventilated place. Wear suitable protective clothing. Avoid contact with skin and eyes. Avoid formation of dust and aerosols. Use non-sparking tools. Prevent fire caused by electrostatic discharge steam.

Separated from food and feedstuffs. Well closed. Keep in a well-ventilated room.Storage temperature: ambient

Occupational Exposure limit values

Biological limit values

Eye/face protection

Skin protection

Respiratory protection

Thermal hazards

NIOSH considers methoxychlor to be a potential occupational carcinogen.

Decomposes on heating and on burning. This produces toxic and corrosive gases including hydrogen chloride (see ICSC 0163). Reacts with oxidants. Attacks some plastics and rubber.

Stable to UV light.

The material is a combustible solid, but difficult to ignite.METHOXYCHLOR turns pink or tan on exposure to light. This chemical is incompatible with alkaline materials, especially in the presence of catalytically-active metals. It is slightly corrosive to iron and aluminum. It is decomposed by refluxing with sodium in isopropyl alcohol. It is also incompatible with strong oxidizers. It will attack some forms of plastics, rubber and coatings. (NTP, 1992).

no data available

Contact with strong oxidizers may cause fires and explosions.

When heated to decomp, it emits highly toxic fumes of /hydrogen chloride/ .

Acute toxicity

• Oral: LD50 Rat oral 6000 mg/kg Technical material
• Inhalation: no data available
• Dermal: no data available

Skin corrosion/irritation

Serious eye damage/irritation

Respiratory or skin sensitization

Germ cell mutagenicity

Carcinogenicity

Reproductive toxicity

STOT-single exposure

STOT-repeated exposure

Aspiration hazard

• Toxicity to fish: LC50; Species: Lepomis macrochirus (Bluegill, weight 0.6 g); Conditions: freshwater, flow through, 18 deg C, pH 7.4, hardness 272 mg/L CaCO3; Concentration: 100 ug/L for 24 hr (95% confidence limit 62-162 ug/L) /98% purity, technical material
• Toxicity to daphnia and other aquatic invertebrates: EC50; Species: Daphnia magna (Water flea, age <24 hr); Conditions: freshwater, static; Concentration: 1800 ug/L for 48 hr (95% confidence interval: 1500-2100 ug/L); Effect: intoxication, immobilization /40% purity
• Toxicity to algae: no data available
• Toxicity to microorganisms: no data available

AEROBIC: First-order rate constants of 0.001 to 0.004 (half-life of 7 to 29 days), 0.002 to 0.003 (half-life of 9.6 to 14.4 days), 0.001 to 0.006 (half-life of 4.8 to 29 days), and 0.002 to 0.004 per hour (half-life of 7 to 14.4 days) were measured for methoxychlor added to 4 different freshwaters(1). In an aerobic die-away study using water from the Santa Rosa Sound, FL, methoxychlor had a half-life of >25 days(2). In an aerobic shake-flask river die-away test, methoxychlor was biodegraded in a mixed water/sediment sample, rate not given(3). The degradation of methoxychlor in 2 sandy loam soils was dependent on water content; soils with 3% and 10% water content degraded methoxychlor to only trace amounts within 30 to 38 and 20 to 26 weeks, respectively(4). Methoxychlor applied to soil during a 2-year field study was fairly persistent; residues remaining after 1, 2, and 3 months made up 92, 38, and 27% of the original application(5). One year later, measurable concentrations of methoxychlor were still present in soil as well as products from the partial dechlorination of the parent compound(5). Second-order rate constants of 5.2X10-14 and 6.1X10-16 liters per organism-hr (half-lives of 111 and 9500 days, respectively, assuming a bacterial concentration of 5X10+9 organisms/L) were measured dependent on 15% and 90% sorption, respectively, to sediments in river die-away studies(6).

Bioconcentration factors (BCF) for methoxychlor of 8300 in fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas)(1) and 138 in sheepshead minnow (Cyprinodon variegatus)(4) have been measured in continuous flow systems. According to a classification scheme(6), these BCF values suggest that bioconcentration in aquatic organisms is high to very high(SRC). However, as seen in the BCF from the sheepshead minnow study, some variation between species in the ability to metabolize this compound may exist(7-9). Bioconcentration factors (BCF) for methoxychlor of 12,000 in mussel(2), 5000-8570 in snail (Physa integra), 348-1130 in stonefly (Pteronarcys dorsata)(3) and 1500 in soft clams (Mya avenaria)(5) have also been measured in continuous flow systems.

Measured average sorption coefficient (Koc) values in various pond and river sediments are as follows: 23,000 in sand, 82,000 in coarse silt, 88,000 in medium silt, 93,000 in fine silt and 83,000 in clay(1). In another study, a K value of 620 was found in a water-sediment system(2). Another study determined a K value of 2009 in soil(3). According to a classification scheme(4), these Koc values suggest that methoxychlor is expected to be immobile in soil. Mass balances in pond, river and wet sand (25% moisture) systems spiked with methoxychlor indicate that 98.6, 97.0, and 92.1%, respectively, of all methoxychlor was retained in the sediment(5).

no data available

Product

Contaminated packaging

no data available

no data available

Information on revision

Abbreviations and acronyms

• CAS: Chemical Abstracts Service
• ADR: European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road
• RID: Regulation concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Rail
• IMDG: International Maritime Dangerous Goods
• IATA: International Air Transportation Association
• TWA: Time Weighted Average
• STEL: Short term exposure limit
• LC50: Lethal Concentration 50%
• LD50: Lethal Dose 50%
• EC50: Effective Concentration 50%

References

• IPCS - The International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSC), website: http://www.ilo.org/dyn/icsc/showcard.home
• HSDB - Hazardous Substances Data Bank, website: https://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/newtoxnet/hsdb.htm
• IARC - International Agency for Research on Cancer, website: http://www.iarc.fr/
• eChemPortal - The Global Portal to Information on Chemical Substances by OECD, website: http://www.echemportal.org/echemportal/index?pageID=0&request_locale=en
• CAMEO Chemicals, website: http://cameochemicals.noaa.gov/search/simple
• ChemIDplus, website: http://chem.sis.nlm.nih.gov/chemidplus/chemidlite.jsp
• ERG - Emergency Response Guidebook by U.S. Department of Transportation, website: http://www.phmsa.dot.gov/hazmat/library/erg
• Germany GESTIS-database on hazard substance, website: http://www.dguv.de/ifa/gestis/gestis-stoffdatenbank/index-2.jsp
• ECHA - European Chemicals Agency, website: https://echa.europa.eu/

Other Information

Ingestion in large amounts may cause effects on the liver, kidneys and central nervous system.Temperature of decomposition is unknown in the literature.Depending on the degree of exposure, periodic medical examination is suggested.If the substance is formulated with solvent(s) also consult the card(s) (ICSC) of the solvent(s).Carrier solvents used in commercial formulations may change physical and toxicological properties.See ICSC 0034.