| Abstract
| - The differential environmental fates and toxicities of thevarious hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) isomers includinglindane and isomers in the technical mixture will be the focusof this review. HCHs are one of the most widely usedand most readily detected organochlorine pesticides inenvironmental samples. The relatively high volatility of HCHhas led to global transport, even into formerly pristinelocations such as the Arctic. Certain HCHs cause centralnervous system, reproductive, and endocrine damage.Because γ-HCH is rapidly metabolized, the β-HCH isomeris consistently found in higher concentrations in humanfat, blood, and breast milk. In contrast, α- and γ-HCH arethe most prevalent isomers in soil, water, and air samples.The ratio of the α- to γ-isomers can be used to trackglobal transport of HCHs. A new area of HCH researchfocuses on the selective degradation of the two α-HCHenantiomers in various environmental matrices. These HCHissues and recommendations for future HCH researchare presented in this review.
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