How can heptachlor and heptachlor epoxide affect my health?
Heptachlor and heptachlor epoxide are clearly toxic to humans and animals and
can damage the nervous system.
There are some human data on brief exposures to high levels. A few human case
reports showed that people who accidentally swallowed pesticide that contained
heptachlor, or who spilled pesticide on their clothes became dizzy, confused,
or had convulsions.
Most of what we know about the health effects of these pesticides comes from studies
on mice and rats fed heptachlor and heptachlor epoxide in the food or water.
Very high levels for short periods produce serious liver problems. Mice had trouble
walking and rats developed tremors. High levels of heptachlor in the feed for
several weeks damaged the livers of rats and the livers and adrenal glands of
mice.
We do not know if heptachlor or the epoxide affect the ability of men or women
to have children. Animals that ate food containing heptachlor before and/or during
pregnancy had smaller litters or were unable to reproduce. Some of the offspring
had cataracts and some didn't live long after birth.
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