Mirex (Ref: GC 1283)
Last updated: 19/01/2023
(Also known as: perchlordecone; perchlorodihomocubane; dodecaclor; ENT 25719; dechlorane)
Mirex is an obsolete organochlorine insecticide. Toxic to humans and know to be a carcinogen. Mirex is also a reproduction and CNS toxin. It is practically insoluble and takes several years to degrade in soil. It is not expected to leach into groundwater but will accumulate in sediements. Environmentally persistent and will bioaccumulate. Moderately toxic to wildlife.
The following alerts are based on the data in the tables below. An absence of an alert does not imply the substance has no implications for human health, biodiversity or the environment but just that we do not have the data to form a judgement.
Environmental fate
Ecotoxicity
Human health
Now banned, Mirex was used to control ants and had several other non pesticide uses
Fire ants; Harvester ants
Agricultural fields; Non-cropped areas
-
Considered obsolete but may be available in some countries; Banned in many countries
1946, first reported
Not approved
Expired
No UK approval for use
EC Regulation 1107/2009 (repealing 91/414)
Not approved
Not applicable
Expired
Not applicable
Yes
ATAustria
BEBelgium
BGBulgaria
CYCyprus
CZCzech Republic
DEGermany
DKDenmark
EEEstonia
ELGreece
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ESSpain
FIFinland
FRFrance
HRCroatia
HUHungary
IEIreland
ITItaly
LTLithuania
LULuxembourg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
LVLatvia
MTMalta
NLNetherlands
PLPoland
PTPortugal
RORomania
SESweden
SISlovenia
SKSlovakia
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
None
C₁₀Cl₁₂
C12(C3(C4(C5(C3(C(C1(C5(C2(C4(Cl)Cl)Cl)Cl)Cl)(Cl)Cl)Cl)Cl)Cl)Cl)Cl
-
GVYLCNUFSHDAAW-UHFFFAOYSA-N
InChI=1S/C10Cl12/c11-1-2(12)7(17)4(14)3(13,5(1,15)9(7,19)20)6(1,16)10(21,22)8(2,4)18
Yes
Insecticide
Organochloride insecticide; Cyclodiene insecticide
-
-
Synthetic
Central nervous system stimulant with contact activity, ingested toxin.
2385-85-5
219-196-6
375
039201
16945
602-077-00-1
545.54
1,1a,2,2,3,3a,4,5,5,5a,5b,6-dodecachloro-1,1a,3,3a,4,5,5a,5b-octahydro-1H-1,3,4-(epimethanetriyl)cyclobuta[cd]pentalene
dodecachloropentacyclodecane
1,1a,2,2,3,3a,4,5,5,5a,5b,6-dodecachlorooctahydro-1,3,4-metheno-1H-cyclobuta[cd]pentalene
POP; LRTAP Annex I; OSPAR soc; Marine Pollutant; Banned 1978
-
Not applicable
Not applicable
2A
Not applicable
-
White crystalline solid
Allied Chemical Corp. Seppic
-
0.0001
Low
17000
Q2 Q = Miscellaneous internet resources 2 = Unverified data of unknown source
Chloroform
-
14300
Q2 Q = Miscellaneous internet resources 2 = Unverified data of unknown source
Xylene
-
485
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
1.91 X 1005
Calculated
-
5.28
High
Likely to be soluble
Q3 Q = Miscellaneous internet resources 3 = Unverified data of known source
-
Based on chemical group
Q3 Q = Miscellaneous internet resources 3 = Unverified data of known source
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
839.4
Volatile
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
300
Persistent
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Environmentally stable, DT₅₀ circa 3000+ days, some reports say up to 10 years (R3)
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Stable
Q3 Q = Miscellaneous internet resources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Stable
-
Stable
Q3 Q = Miscellaneous internet resources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Stable
-
Stable
Q3 Q = Miscellaneous internet resources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Stable
Stable
Q3 Q = Miscellaneous internet resources 3 = Unverified data of known source
Stable
Soil adsorption and mobility
-
Non-mobile
5794
Log10 Koc 3.763
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
0.59
Calculated
Low leachability
1.16 X 10-02
Calculated
-
-
High
Calculated
-
Non-mobile
Calculated
-
51400
High potential
Not available
-
Known groundwater metabolites
None
None
Terrestrial ecotoxicology
> 235
Rat
Moderate
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
> 2400
Anas platyrhynchos
Low
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
7.15
Moderate
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
> 100
Oncorhynchus mykiss
Low
40
P3 P = Other governments and regulators 3 = Unverified data of known source
Oncorhynchus mykiss 5 day
Low
> 0.1
Daphnia magna
Moderate
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
0.1
Chlorella pyrenoidosa
Moderate
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
HUMAN HEALTH AND PROTECTION
High (class III)
-
-
> 235
Rat
Moderate
2000
Rat
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
List I
-
-
Main concerns were from food residues but substance is now obsolete and banned in most countries so risk now minimal
-
EU MRL pesticide database 
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Carcinogen
Endocrine disruptor
✓Yes, known to cause a problem
A0 A = Chromosome aberration (EFSA database) 0 = No data
; B0 B = DNA damage/repair (EFSA database) 0 = No data
; C0 C = Gene mutation (EFSA database) 0 = No data
; D0 D = Genome mutation (EFSA database) 0 = No data
; E0 E = Unspecified genotoxicity type (miscellaneous data source) 0 = No data
✓Yes, known to cause a problem
Reproduction / development effects
Acetyl cholinesterase inhibitor
Neurotoxicant
?Possibly, status not identified
XNo, known not to cause a problem
No data found
Respiratory tract irritant
Skin irritant
Skin sensitiser
XNo, known not to cause a problem
✓Yes, known to cause a problem
No data found
Eye irritant
Phototoxicant
 
XNo, known not to cause a problem
No data found
 
Moderately toxic Liver, thyroid and kidney toxicant Endocrine issues - Weak estrogen effect
No information available
-
O (Obsolete substance)
-
-
mirex
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Record last updated:
19/01/2023
Contact:
aeru@herts.ac.uk
Please cite as:
Lewis, K.A., Tzilivakis, J., Warner, D. and Green, A. (2016) An international database for pesticide risk assessments and management. Human and Ecological Risk Assessment: An International Journal , 22 (4), 1050-1064. DOI: 10.1080/10807039.2015.1133242