Methoxychlor

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Definition of methoxychlor:
Methoxychlor is a organochlorine pesticide which works both by contact and ingestion[1].
This is the common definition for methoxychlor, other definitions can be discussed in the article

Notes

Methoxychlor
Methoxychlor
Formula
C16H15Cl3O2

The use of methoxychlor as a pesticide ceased in most countries around 1990. In Germany and Belgium it continued until 1995 and 2000. It has been phased out in the European Union since 2003.

Methoxychlor doesn't evaporate much, it has a low water solubility (0,1 mg/l) and it adsorbs to particles. In aerobe conditions it's not degradable, it is however under anaerobe conditions.

Methoxychlor is very toxic, short exposure to concentrations of 0,8 µg/l is lethal for some zooplankton species, fish die at concentrations above 50 µg/l. For marine mammals and sea birds it is considered to be less toxic. However, methoxychlor is presumed to be a endocrine disrupting compound and might therefore affect these animals at low concentrations.

It has a high tendency towards bioaccumulation and might biomagnify through food chains, although fish seem to be able to metabolize methoxychlor[1].

There is little or no information available on the occurrence of methoxychlor in the marine environment.


Environmental standards and legislation

Included in the OSPAR list of substances of priority action


See also

Methoxychlor on the ED North Database

OSPAR background document on methoxychlor


References

The main author of this article is Daphnis De Pooter
Please note that others may also have edited the contents of this article.

Citation: Daphnis De Pooter (2020): Methoxychlor. Available from http://www.coastalwiki.org/wiki/Methoxychlor [accessed on 19-03-2024]