DDE (Ref: HSDB 1625)

DDE (Ref: HSDB 1625)	Last updated: 08/01/2023
(Also known as: dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene; DDT dehydrochloride; p,p'-DDE)

SUMMARY

Data alerts

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
Environmental fate High alert: Very persistent Warning: Significant data are missing	Ecotoxicity High alert: Fish acute ecotoxicity: High; Daphnia acute ecotoxicity: High	Human health High alert: Carcinogen; Endocrine distrupter; Reproduction/development effects; Neurotoxicant

GENERAL INFORMATION

Description

Chemical transformation product formed by the dehydrohalogenation of DDT. Has insecticidal properties but no significant commercial applications.

Availability status

Not applicable

Introduction & key dates

Not applicable

UK regulatory status

UK COPR regulatory status

Not applicable

Date COPR inclusion expires

Not applicable

UK LERAP status

Not applicable

EC Regulation 1107/2009 (repealing 91/414)

EC Regulation 1107/2009 status

Not applicable

Dossier rapporteur/co-rapporteur

Not applicable

Date EC 1107/2009 inclusion expires

Not applicable

EU Candidate for substitution (CfS)

Not applicable

Listed in EU database

Approved for use (✓) under EC 1107/2009 in the following EU Member States

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

Additional information

Also used in

Chemical structure

Isomerism

Consists of three isomeric forms p,p'-DDE, o,p'-DDE and o,o'-DDE. p,p'-DDE is the dominant isomer.

Chemical formula

C₁₄H₈Cl₄

Canonical SMILES

C1=CC(=CC=C1C(=C(Cl)Cl)C2=CC=C(C=C2)Cl)Cl

Isomeric SMILES

No data

International Chemical Identifier key (InChIKey)

UCNVFOCBFJOQAL-UHFFFAOYSA-N

International Chemical Identifier (InChI)

InChI=1S/C14H8Cl4/c15-11-5-1-9(2-6-11)13(14(17)18)10-3-7-12(16)8-4-10/h1-8H

2D structure diagram/image available?

Yes

Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre diagrams

Common Name	Relationship	Link
DDE	-

General status

Pesticide type

Metabolite

Metabolite Type

Soil, Groundwater

Substance groups

Organochloride

Minimum active substance purity

Known relevant impurities

Substance origin

Synthetic

Mode of action

Central nervous system stimulant. GABA-gated chloride channel antagonist. A weak androgen receptor antagonist.

CAS RN

72-55-9

EC number

200-784-6

CIPAC number

292

US EPA chemical code

PubChem CID

3035

Molecular mass

318.02

PIN (Preferred Identification Name)

IUPAC name

1,1-bis-(4-chlorophenyl)-2,2-dichloroethene

CAS name

1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)-ethylene

Other status information

OSPAR soc, Banned; Hazardous air pollutant

Relevant Environmental Water Quality Standards

Herbicide Resistance Classification (HRAC)

Not applicable

Herbicide Resistance Classification (WSSA)

Not applicable

Insecticide Resistance Classification (IRAC)

Fungicide Resistance Classification (FRAC)

Not applicable

Examples of recorded resistance

Physical state

White crystalline solid

Can be a metabolite of:

Parent

Formation medium

Estimated maximum occurrence fraction

1107/2009 relevancy

DDT

Soil

DDT

Groundwater

Relevancy unknown

O,P'-DDT

Soil

O,P'-DDT

Groundwater

Relevancy unknown

O,O'-DDT

Soil

O,O'-DDT

Groundwater

Relevancy unknown

P,P'-DDT

Soil

P,P'-DDT

Groundwater

Relevancy unknown

lindane

Soil

Formulations

Property

Value

Example manufacturers & suppliers of products using this active now or historically

Not applicable

Example products using this active

Formulation and application details

ENVIRONMENTAL FATE

Property

Value

Source; quality score; and other information

Interpretation

Solubility - In water at 20 °C (mg l⁻¹)

0.12

Low

Solubility - In organic solvents at 20 °C (mg l⁻¹)

Melting point (°C)

Boiling point (°C)

336

Degradation point (°C)

Flashpoint (°C)

Octanol-water partition coefficient at pH 7, 20 °C

3.24 X 10⁰⁶

Calculated

Log P

6.51

High

Fat solubility of residues

Solubility

Likely to be soluble

Data type

Based on chemical group

Density (g ml⁻¹)

1.402

Dissociation constant pKa) at 25 °C

Not applicable

No dissociation

Vapour pressure at 20 °C (mPa)

Henry's law constant at 25 °C (Pa m³ mol⁻¹)

Maximum UV-vis absorption L mol⁻¹ cm⁻¹

Surface tension (mN m⁻¹)

Degradation

Property

Value

Source; quality score; and other information

Interpretation

General biodegradability

Soil degradation (days) (aerobic)

DT₅₀ (typical)

5000

Very persistent

DT₅₀ (lab at 20 °C)

DT₅₀ (field)

5000

Very persistent

DT₉₀ (lab at 20 °C)

DT₉₀ (field)

DT₅₀ modelling endpoint

Note

Environmentally stable

Dissipation rate RL₅₀ on plant matrix

Value

Note

Dissipation rate RL₅₀ on and in plant matrix

Value

Note

Aqueous photolysis DT₅₀ (days) at pH 7

Value

Note

Aqueous hydrolysis DT₅₀ (days) at 20 °C and pH 7

Value

Note

Water-sediment DT₅₀ (days)

Water phase only DT₅₀ (days)

Soil adsorption and mobility

Property

Value

Source; quality score; and other information

Interpretation

Linear

K_d

50000

K_oc

Notes and range

Log K_oc given as 4.7

Freundlich

K_f

K_foc

¹/_n

Notes and range

pH sensitivity

Fate indices

Property

Value

Source; quality score; and other information

Interpretation

GUS leaching potential index

SCI-GROW groundwater index (μg l⁻¹) for a 1 kg ha⁻¹ or 1 l ha⁻¹ application rate

Value

Cannot be calculated

Note

Potential for particle bound transport index

Potential for loss via drain flow

Bio-concentration factor

BCF (l kg⁻¹)

1800

Oncorhynchus mykiss

Threshold for concern

CT₅₀ (days)

Not available

Known soil and groundwater metabolites

None

Other known metabolites

Metabolite name and reference

Aliases

Formation medium / Rate

Estimated maximum occurrence fraction

Metabolising enzymes

1-chloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethylene

DDMU

Humans; Rats

2,2-bis(bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethylene

DDNU

Humans; Rats

2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)acetaldehyde

DDCHO

Humans; Rats

2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)acetic acid

DDA

Humans; Rats

ECOTOXICOLOGY

Terrestrial ecotoxicology

Property

Value

Source; quality score; and other information

Interpretation

Mammals - Acute oral LD₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹)

880

Rat

Moderate

Mammals - Short term dietary NOEL

(mg kg⁻¹)

(ppm diet)

Mammals - Chronic 21d NOAEL (mg kg⁻¹ bw d⁻¹)

Birds - Acute LD₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹)

825

Colinus virginianus

Moderate

Birds - Short term dietary (LC₅₀/LD₅₀)

Birds - Chronic 21d NOEL (mg kg⁻¹ bw d⁻¹)

Earthworms - Acute 14 day LC₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹)

Lumbricus terrestris

Moderate

Earthworms - Chronic NOEC, reproduction (mg kg⁻¹)

Soil micro-organisms

Collembola

Acute LC₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹)

Chronic NOEC (mg kg⁻¹)

Non-target plants

Honeybees (Apis spp.)

Contact acute LD₅₀ (worst case from 24, 48 and 72 hour values - μg bee⁻¹)

Oral acute LD₅₀ (worst case from 24, 48 and 72 hour values - μg bee⁻¹)

Unknown mode acute LD₅₀ (worst case from 24, 48 and 72 hour values - μg bee⁻¹)

Chronic

Bumblebees (Bombus spp.)

Contact acute LD₅₀ (worst case from 24, 48 and 72 hour values - μg bee⁻¹)

Oral acute LD₅₀ (worst case from 24, 48 and 72 hour values - μg bee⁻¹)

Mason bees (Osmia spp.)

Contact acute LD₅₀ (worst case from 24, 48 and 72 hour values - μg bee⁻¹)

Oral acute LD₅₀ (worst case from 24, 48 and 72 hour values - μg bee⁻¹)

Other bee species (1)

Acute LD₅₀ (worst case from 24, 48 and 72 hour values - μg insect⁻¹)

Mode of exposure

Other bee species (2)

Acute LD₅₀ (worst case from 24, 48 and 72 hour values - μg insect⁻¹)

Mode of exposure

Beneficial insects (Ladybirds)

Beneficial insects (Lacewings)

Beneficial insects (Parasitic wasps)

Beneficial insects (Predatory mites)

Beneficial insects (Ground beetles)

Aquatic ecotoxicology

Property

Value

Source; quality score; and other information

Interpretation

Fish - Acute 96 hour LC₅₀ (mg l⁻¹)

== 0.032

Oncorhynchus mykiss

High

Fish - Chronic 21 day NOEC (mg l⁻¹)

Aquatic invertebrates - Acute 48 hour EC₅₀ (mg l⁻¹)

0.001

Bosmina longirostris

High

Aquatic invertebrates - Chronic 21 day NOEC (mg l⁻¹)

Aquatic crustaceans - Acute 96 hour LC₅₀ (mg l⁻¹)

Sediment dwelling organisms - Acute 96 hour LC₅₀ (mg l⁻¹)

Sediment dwelling organisms - Chronic 28 day NOEC, static, water (mg l⁻¹)

Sediment dwelling organisms - Chronic 28 day NOEC, sediment (mg kg⁻¹)

Aquatic plants - Acute 7 day EC₅₀, biomass (mg l⁻¹)

Algae - Acute 72 hour EC₅₀, growth (mg l⁻¹)

Algae - Chronic 96 hour NOEC, growth (mg l⁻¹)

Mesocosm study data

NOEAEC mg l⁻¹

HUMAN HEALTH AND PROTECTION

General

Property

Value

Source; quality score; and other information

Interpretation

Threshold of Toxicological Concern (Cramer Class)

High (class III)

Mammals - Acute oral LD₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹)

880

Rat

Moderate

Mammals - Dermal LD₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹ body weight)

Mammals - Inhalation LC₅₀ (mg l⁻¹)

Other Mammal toxicity endpoints

ADI - Acceptable Daily Intake (mg kg⁻¹ bw day⁻¹)

ARfD - Acute Reference Dose (mg kg⁻¹ bw day⁻¹)

AAOEL - Acute Acceptable Operator Exposure Level (mg kg⁻¹ bw day⁻¹)

AOEL - Acceptable Operator Exposure Level - Systemic (mg kg⁻¹ bw day⁻¹)

Dermal penetration studies (%)

Dangerous Substances Directive 76/464

List I

Exposure Routes

Public

Occupational

MRLs

European

EU MRL pesticide database

Great Britain

GB MRL Register

Notes

Drinking Water Standards

US drinking water standards are variable by State: Minnesota 1.0 µg l⁻¹, Florida 0.1 µg l⁻¹

Drinking Water MAC (μg l⁻¹)

Mammalian dose elimination route and rate

DDE is mainly excreted in the bile. Excretion is slow with a biologic half-life of about 8 yr.

Health issues

Specific human health issues

Carcinogen

Genotoxic

Endocrine disruptor

; ; ; ;

Reproduction / development effects

Acetyl cholinesterase inhibitor

Neurotoxicant

No data found

Respiratory tract irritant

Skin irritant

Skin sensitiser

No data found

Eye irritant

Phototoxicant

No data found

General human health issues

Toxic if ingested, inhaled and via skin absorption
Xenoestrogen agent
Mutagenic
Endocrine issues - Competitive binding to androgen receptors

Handling issues

Property

Value and interpretation

General

P,P'-DDE is sensitive to exposure to light.
Incompatible with strong oxidising substances and strong bases

CLP classification 2013

Health: H302, H311, H315, H331, H332
Environment: H400, H410

WHO Classification

Not listed

UN Number

3077

Waste disposal & packaging

TRANSLATIONS

Language

Name

English

DDE

French

German

Danish

Italian

Spanish

Greek

Polish

dichlorodifenylodichloroetylen

Swedish

Hungarian

Dutch

Record last updated:	08/01/2023
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