Poisoning in Industrial Workers by the Insecticide Aldrin

Abstract

A 23-year-old worker in a formulating plant developed epileptiform convulsions after a short period of heavy exposure to the chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticide aldrin. He was found to have a high concentration in body fat of hexachloro-epoxy-octahydro-dimethanonaphthalene(H.E.O.D.), the principal metabolite of aldrin, and transient electroencephalographic abnormalities. Nine exposed workers from the same factory were examined, and two of these had symptoms suggestive of aldrin poisoning. At a later date one of these two men and one other man developed convulsions associated with abnormalities of the electroencephalogram and high concentrations of H.E.O.D. in body fat. The concentrations of H.E.O.D. in body fat and also in blood and the electroencephalogram were found to be useful in diagnosis, and their value is discussed.