ABSTRACT
Dry deposition and rainfall have been found to remove atmospheric lindane at 3.3 and 2.5% per week, respectively. Small amounts of α-hexachlorocyclohexane (α-HCH) may result from the isomerization of lindane upon exposure to sunlight. Release of α-HCH to the soil will most likely result in slow leaching to ground water. α-HCH entering the atmosphere, by analogy to lindane, may be subject to rain-out and dry deposition. Lindane may undergo sunlight induced isomerization to α-HCH to a small extent. Based upon the vapor pressure, a-HCH is expected to exist in both the vapor and particulate phases in ambient air. The concentration of α-HCH in purified water dropped from about 1480 ug/ml to about 1130 ug/ml after 50 days exposure to sunlight. Based on the estimated Henry’s Law constant, α-HCH is expected to volatilize slowly from water at a rate dependent upon the rate of diffusion through air. Average α-HCH concentrations in cheese and eggs were reported, but without units.
