Chlordane
Contamination
J. MALCOLM
D.~vln
S. FOLLAND,?
of a Municipal
HAKRINGI-ON,~’ JOHN
Received
L.
EL)LVARD
W.
SAUCIEK.~
February
Water System JR.,“’
BAKER,
S. H.
.AND
SASDIFER$
24. 1977
On March 24. 1976. a section of the public water system of Chattanooga, Tennessee. supplying 105 people was contaminated with chlordane. a chlorinated hydrocarbon pesticide. In a door-to-door health survey of the 71 residents affected. 13 t 18ri) were noted to have symptoms or signs compatible with mild acute chlordane toxicity. Serum levels of chlordane metabolites measured shortly after the incident did not correlate with the recorded symptomatology. Retesting of the symptomatic residents ? months later revealed a possible rise in oxychlordane levels. suggestive of an acute exposure in the past. None of the residents have had prolonged sequelae from chlordane exposure: further followup is recommended.
INTRODUCTION Waterborne disease is usually due to microbiological agents, but, between 1946 and 1970, 12 (3%) such outbreaks in the United States were due to chemicals (Craun and McCabe, 1973). One was associated with chlordane in a concentration of 290 ppb in well water but no illnesses were reported. In 1974, one outbreak of waterborne disease was linked to well water contaminated with a carbamate pesticide Furadan’ which apparently affected I individual (Center for Disease Control, 1976). Pesticide contamination of public water supplies seems to be uncommon and illnesses associated with such adulteration is extremely rare. THE EPISODE At approximately 5:00 PM on March 24, 1976, a resident of Chattanooga, Tennessee, noted that his tap water turned milky white and smelled like insecticide spray. The water company was notified. and further reports of a similar nature were recorded by other residents of the area during that evening. The contaminant was identified as chlordane, a potent chlorinated hydrocarbon, in concentrations of up to 1.200,OOO ppb (0.12%). The water company promptly turned off the supply to the 42 affected houses. METHODS Between March 25 and 27, representatives of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Stewart Laboratories, Inc., Knoxville, Tenn.. obtained water samples from the 42 affected houses in the area. Chlordane concentrations were ’ Inclusion of trade name is for identification only and does not imply endorsement Health Service or the U. S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare.
by the Public
155 0013-9351/78/0151~155$02.00/0 Copyright All
rights
0 of
1978 reproducrion
by
Academx in any
Press. form
Inc. reserved.
1.56
HARRINGTON
ET AL.
determined by gas chromatography following hexane extraction (U.S. EPA, 1974). In a door-to-door survey conducted by three of the authors on March 26 and 27 all 105 persons living in the affected houses were interviewed and asked about symptoms referable to chlordane that they might have experienced during the 48 hours following the incident. A water usage or exposure history was also acquired. A serum sample was obtained from the 71 persons giving a history of contact with the contaminated water through drinking, bathing, or cooking. Two months later, repeat serum samples were obtained from 11 of the 13 symptomatic residents, though it proved impractical to survey the other residents. Primary identification and quantification of the serum pesticide residues was accomplished using the MicroTek 220 gas chromatograph equipped with a tritium foil electron capture detector. All samples were analyzed on the OV-17/QFl column and the residues were confirmed on the SE-30/QFl column (U.S. EPA, 1974). The limit of detection for oxychlordane and transnonachlor was 1 part per 100 billion. RESULTS
Chlordane-in-water concentrations in parts per billion recorded in each of the houses surveyed are noted in Fig. 1. Highest levels were found in houses with heavy water use on the afternoon of contamination; virtually no chlordane was detected in samples taken upstream of house “X.” At this house a strong smell of chlordane was noted emanating from the foundation. Soil samples taken under the house contained 0.1% chlordane. It was subsequently established that on the afternoon of March 24, chlordane concentrate had been diluted with tap water at this house and applied to the foundations for termite control. This house was higher than any other house in this section of the water system and consequently had the lowest water pressure. Clinical
Findirlgs
Seventy-one (68%) of the 105 persons interviewed between March 2.5 and 27 gave a history of dermal, oral, or gastrointestinal contact with contaminated water. Thirteen of these seventy-one individuals (18%) described symptoms compatible with chlordane exposure. Four gave a history of gastrointestinal symptoms (nausea, vomiting, or abdominal pain) and neurological symptoms (dizziness, blurred vision, irritability, headache, paresthesia, or muscle dysfunction). Nine others had gastrointestinal symptoms alone or isolated neurological symptoms. Only symptoms commencing between 4:00 PM on March 24 and 4:00 PM on March 26 were considered relevant. One of the probable cases who had recently recovered from an episode of intrahepatic cholestasis developed fever of 102°F on the night of March 24 after consuming five glasses of water. None of the residents were hospitalized and all symptomatic individuals recovered within 36-48 hours after exposure. All of the residents who denied contact with contaminated water were symptom free.
157
co.1 0
0
0.3
0
1.9
0
4.6
210
COO
066.4
0
520
0 1.9 0 0.1 039.5
175
400
39,600
T0
0
27*ooo
0
0
2.6
()
322
00
92,500
0
0.6 4,000 30
Contamination
J. MALCOLM
D.~vln
S. FOLLAND,?
of a Municipal
HAKRINGI-ON,~’ JOHN
Received
L.
EL)LVARD
W.
SAUCIEK.~
February
Water System JR.,“’
BAKER,
S. H.
.AND
SASDIFER$
24. 1977
On March 24. 1976. a section of the public water system of Chattanooga, Tennessee. supplying 105 people was contaminated with chlordane. a chlorinated hydrocarbon pesticide. In a door-to-door health survey of the 71 residents affected. 13 t 18ri) were noted to have symptoms or signs compatible with mild acute chlordane toxicity. Serum levels of chlordane metabolites measured shortly after the incident did not correlate with the recorded symptomatology. Retesting of the symptomatic residents ? months later revealed a possible rise in oxychlordane levels. suggestive of an acute exposure in the past. None of the residents have had prolonged sequelae from chlordane exposure: further followup is recommended.
INTRODUCTION Waterborne disease is usually due to microbiological agents, but, between 1946 and 1970, 12 (3%) such outbreaks in the United States were due to chemicals (Craun and McCabe, 1973). One was associated with chlordane in a concentration of 290 ppb in well water but no illnesses were reported. In 1974, one outbreak of waterborne disease was linked to well water contaminated with a carbamate pesticide Furadan’ which apparently affected I individual (Center for Disease Control, 1976). Pesticide contamination of public water supplies seems to be uncommon and illnesses associated with such adulteration is extremely rare. THE EPISODE At approximately 5:00 PM on March 24, 1976, a resident of Chattanooga, Tennessee, noted that his tap water turned milky white and smelled like insecticide spray. The water company was notified. and further reports of a similar nature were recorded by other residents of the area during that evening. The contaminant was identified as chlordane, a potent chlorinated hydrocarbon, in concentrations of up to 1.200,OOO ppb (0.12%). The water company promptly turned off the supply to the 42 affected houses. METHODS Between March 25 and 27, representatives of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Stewart Laboratories, Inc., Knoxville, Tenn.. obtained water samples from the 42 affected houses in the area. Chlordane concentrations were ’ Inclusion of trade name is for identification only and does not imply endorsement Health Service or the U. S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare.
by the Public
155 0013-9351/78/0151~155$02.00/0 Copyright All
rights
0 of
1978 reproducrion
by
Academx in any
Press. form
Inc. reserved.
1.56
HARRINGTON
ET AL.
determined by gas chromatography following hexane extraction (U.S. EPA, 1974). In a door-to-door survey conducted by three of the authors on March 26 and 27 all 105 persons living in the affected houses were interviewed and asked about symptoms referable to chlordane that they might have experienced during the 48 hours following the incident. A water usage or exposure history was also acquired. A serum sample was obtained from the 71 persons giving a history of contact with the contaminated water through drinking, bathing, or cooking. Two months later, repeat serum samples were obtained from 11 of the 13 symptomatic residents, though it proved impractical to survey the other residents. Primary identification and quantification of the serum pesticide residues was accomplished using the MicroTek 220 gas chromatograph equipped with a tritium foil electron capture detector. All samples were analyzed on the OV-17/QFl column and the residues were confirmed on the SE-30/QFl column (U.S. EPA, 1974). The limit of detection for oxychlordane and transnonachlor was 1 part per 100 billion. RESULTS
Chlordane-in-water concentrations in parts per billion recorded in each of the houses surveyed are noted in Fig. 1. Highest levels were found in houses with heavy water use on the afternoon of contamination; virtually no chlordane was detected in samples taken upstream of house “X.” At this house a strong smell of chlordane was noted emanating from the foundation. Soil samples taken under the house contained 0.1% chlordane. It was subsequently established that on the afternoon of March 24, chlordane concentrate had been diluted with tap water at this house and applied to the foundations for termite control. This house was higher than any other house in this section of the water system and consequently had the lowest water pressure. Clinical
Findirlgs
Seventy-one (68%) of the 105 persons interviewed between March 2.5 and 27 gave a history of dermal, oral, or gastrointestinal contact with contaminated water. Thirteen of these seventy-one individuals (18%) described symptoms compatible with chlordane exposure. Four gave a history of gastrointestinal symptoms (nausea, vomiting, or abdominal pain) and neurological symptoms (dizziness, blurred vision, irritability, headache, paresthesia, or muscle dysfunction). Nine others had gastrointestinal symptoms alone or isolated neurological symptoms. Only symptoms commencing between 4:00 PM on March 24 and 4:00 PM on March 26 were considered relevant. One of the probable cases who had recently recovered from an episode of intrahepatic cholestasis developed fever of 102°F on the night of March 24 after consuming five glasses of water. None of the residents were hospitalized and all symptomatic individuals recovered within 36-48 hours after exposure. All of the residents who denied contact with contaminated water were symptom free.
157
co.1 0
0
0.3
0
1.9
0
4.6
210
COO
066.4
0
520
0 1.9 0 0.1 039.5
175
400
39,600
T0
0
27*ooo
0
0
2.6
()
322
00
92,500
0
0.6 4,000 30
