United States , Office of Water EPA 811-F-95-003r-T
Environmental Protection 4601 October 1995
Agency
«>EPA National Primary Drinking
Water Regulations
Heptachlor and Heptachlor Epoxide
CHEMICAL/ PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OCTANOL/WATER PARTTTION (Kow): ODOR/TASTE THRESHOLDS: N/A
CAS Number: Heptachlor-76^44-8 Log Kow = 3.9 to 5.4 (est.) BIOCONCENTRATION FACTOR:
Heptachlor epbxide-1024-57-3 DENSITY/SPEC. GRAV.: 1.57 at 9° C 5000 to 15,000 in fish; potential to
bioconcentrate in aquatic organisms.
COLOR/FORM/ODOR: SOLUBILITY: 0.03 mg/L of water at 25° C;
White to light tan waxy solid with a insoluble in water HENRY'S LAW COEFFICIENT:
camphor-like odor. Available as ,, _ . .„•. .. iOCO_ 2.62x10"3 atm-cu m/mole;
emulsifiable concentrates and oil VAPOR PRESSURE: 3x1(^ mm H9 at 25 C TRADE NAMES/SYNONYMS.
solutions. The epoxide is formed from SOIL SORPTION COEFFICIENT: ^Chtorochlordene8 Aahepta-
heptachlor in the env.ronment. Log Koc estimated at 4.48; low to very Agroceres, Hepta, Heptachlordane,
M.P.: 95-96° C B.P.: 145° C low moblllty In soH Heptagran, Heptamul, Heptox, Gold
Crest H-60, Rhodiachlor, Velsicol 104,
Basaklor, Soleptax, Termide
DRINKING WATER STANDARDS (IN MG/L) and telephone cable boxes.
MCLG MCL HAL(1day)
RELEASE PATTERNS
Heptachlor: zero 0.0004 0.01 Heptachlor may be released directly to the soil in
- epoxide- zero 0 0002 0 01 connection with its use in termite and fire ant control.
However, heptachlor has been found in treated wastewa-
HEALTH EFFECTS SUMMARY ter from some tvPes of industrial facilities. Based on
monitoring data, mean loadings in various wastestreams
Acute: EPA has found heptachlor to potentially cause are: coa, m jn jng _ 0.0081 , foundries - 0.030 and nonfer-
liver and central nervous system damage from short- rous meta|s manufacturing - 0.0008.
term exposures at levels above the MCL.
Heptachlor epoxide is not produced commercially, but
Short-term exposures in drinking water which are rather is formed by the chemical and biological transfer-
considered "safe" for a 1 0-kg (22 Ib.) child consuming 1 mation of heptachlor in the environment.
liter of water per day: a one- to ten-day exposure to 0.01
ENVIRONMENTAL FATE
Chronic: Heptachlor and its epoxide have the poten- Release of heptachlor to soil surfaces will result in
tial to cause extensive liver damage from long-term volatilization from the surface, especially jn moist soils,
exposure at levels above the MCL. but volatilization of heptachlor incorporated into soil will
Cancer: There is some evidence that both heptachlor be slower. Hydrolysis in moist soils is expected to be
and heptachlor epoxide have the potential to cause significant. In soil, heptachlor will degrade to 1-
cancer from a lifetime exposure at levels above the MCL. hydroxychlordene, heptachlor epoxide and an unidenti-
fied metabolite less hydrophilic than heptachlor epoxide.
USAGE PATTERN Biodegradation may also be significant. Heptachlor is
expected to adsorb strongly to soil and, therefore, to
Production of heptachlor in 1 982 was nearly 1 00,000 resist leaching to groundwater.
fcs, all of which was used as a non-agricultural insecti- ,_,... . . , . , x .,
cide. Most uses of the product were cancelled in 1978. Heptachlor epox.de adsorbs strongly to so and ,s
The only permitted commercial use of heptachlor prod- extremely res.stanttob.odegradat.on, pers.stmg for many
ucts is for fire ant control in buried, pad-mounted electric Vf^ in the upper so.l layers. Some volat.hzat.on or
power transformers, and in underground cable television Photo|ysis loss maV occ"r-
October 1995 Technical Version
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Release of heptachlor to water will result in hydrolysis
to 1-hydroxychlordene (half-life of about 1 day) and
volatilization. Adsorption to sediments may occur. Bio-
degradation of heptachlor may occur, but is expected to
be slow compared to hydrolysis. Direct and photosensi-
tized photolysis may occur but are not expected to occur
at a rate comparable to that of hydrolysis. Heptachlor
epoxide will adsorb strongly to suspended and bottom
sediment when released to water. Little biodegradation is
expected.
In air, vapor phase heptachlor will react with photo-
chemically generated hydroxyl radicals with an esti-
mated half-life of 36 min. Direct photolysis may also
occur. Heptachlor epoxide is expected to exist in both the
vapor and particulate phases in ambient air. Vapor phase
reactions with photochemically produced hydroxyl radi-
cal may be an important fate process (an estimated half-
life of 1.5 days). Heptachlor epoxide that associated with
particulate matter and aerosols should be subject to
gravitational settling and washout by rain. Due to its
stability, long range dispersal occurs, resulting in the
contamination of remote areas. Some photolysis loss
probably occurs but there is no data to evaluate the rate
of this process.
Bioconcentration of heptachlor may be significant:
bioconcentration factors average around 12,000 in vari-
ous fish species. Bioconcentration may be limited, how-
ever, by the rapidity of heptachlor hydrolysis in water and
the adsorption of heptachlor to sediments. Heptachlor
epoxide is bioconcentrated extensively. It is taken up into
the food chain by plants and bioconcentrates. into fish,
animals and milk.
OTHER REGULATORY INFORMATION ,
MONITORING:
FOR GROUND/SURFACE WATER SOURCES:
INITIAL FREQUENCY- 4 quarterly samples every 3 years
REPEAT FREQUENCY- If no detections during initial round:
2 quarterly per year if serving >3300 persons;
1 sample per 3 years for smaller systems
TRIGGERS - Return to Initial Freq. if:
Heptachlor detected at > 0.0004 mg/L, or
epoxide detected at > 0.0002 mg/L
ANALYSIS:
REFERENCE SOURCE METHOD NUMBERS
EPA 600/4-88-039 , 505; 508; 508.1; 525.2
TREATMENT: "
BEST AVAILABLE TECHNOLOGIES
Granular Activated Charcoal
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
* EPA can provide further regulatory and other general information:
• EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline - 800/426-4791
* Other sources of lexicological and environmental fate data include:
• Toxic Substance Control Act Information Line - 202/554-1404
• Toxics Release Inventory, National Library of Medicine - 301/496-6531
• Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry - 404/639-6000
• National Pesticide Hotline - 800/858-7378
October 1995
Technical Version
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