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PUBLIC HEALTH STATEMENT 

CHLORFENVINPHOS 

CAS#: 470-90-6 

Division of Toxicology September 1997 

This Public Health Statement is the summary 

chapter from the Toxicological Profile for 

Chlorfenvinphos. It is one in a series of Public 

Health Statements about hazardous substances and 

their health effects. A shorter version, the 

ToxFAQsTM is also available. This information is 

important because this substance may harm you. 

The effects of exposure to any hazardous substance 

depend on the dose, the duration, how you are 

exposed, personal traits and habits, and whether 

other chemicals are present. For more information, 

call the ATSDR Information Center at 1-888-422­

8737. 

This public health statement tells you about 

chlorfenvinphos and the effects of exposure. 

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 

identifies the most serious hazardous waste sites in 

the nation. These sites make up the National 

Priorities List (NPL) and are the sites targeted for 

long-term federal clean-up activities. 

Chlorfenvinphos has been found in at least 1 of the 

1,428 current or former NPL sites. However, it's 

unknown how many NPL sites have been evaluated 

for this substance. As more sites are evaluated, the 

sites with chlorfenvinphos may increase. This is 

important because exposure to this substance may 

harm you and because these sites may be sources of 

exposure. 

When a substance is released from a large area, 

such as an industrial plant, or from a container, such 

as a drum or bottle, it enters the environment. This 

release does not always lead to exposure. You are 

exposed to a substance only when you come in 

contact with it by breathing, eating, or drinking the 

substance or by skin contact. 

If you are exposed to chlorfenvinphos, many factors 

determine whether you'll be harmed. These factors 

include the dose (how much), the duration (how 

long), and how you come in contact with it. You 

must also consider the other chemicals you're 

exposed to and your age, sex, diet, family traits, 

lifestyle, and state of health. 

1.1 WHAT IS CHLORFENVINPHOS? 

Chlorfenvinphos is the common name of an 

organophosphorus insecticide used to control insect 

pests on livestock. It was also used to control 

household pests such as flies, fleas, and mites. This 

chemical is synthetic and does not occur naturally in 

the environment. Chlorfenvinphos was sold under 

common trade names including Birlane®, 

Dermaton®, Sapercon®, Steladone®, and Supona®. 

The pure chemical (100% chlorfenvinphos) is a 

colorless liquid with a mild odor. Commercial 

preparations commonly used in insecticides sold in 

stores were usually 90% chlorfenvinphos. Most of 

chlorfenvinphos was used in liquid form. The 

substance easily mixes with acetone, ethanol, and 

propylene glycol. It is slowly broken down by 

water and is corrosive to metal. 

1.2 WHAT HAPPENS TO 

CHLORFENVINPHOS WHEN IT ENTERS 

THE ENVIRONMENT? 

Chlorfenvinphos enters the environment from 

runoff after rainfall and leaching from hazardous 

waste sites. After it has leached, it may be present 

in the soil and underground water (wells). It may 

be present in surface water (rivers and ponds) after 

it has run off the land. From soil, it may also be 

washed into surface waters by rain. It may also 

DEPARTMENT of HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Public Health Service
 

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry 

www.atsdr.cdc.gov/ Telephone: 1-888-422-8737 Fax: 770-488-4178 E-Mail: atsdric@cdc.gov 
 

 

 

 

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PUBLIC HEALTH STATEMENT 

CHLORFENVINPHOS 

CAS#: 470-90-6 

Division of Toxicology September 1997 

move from soil to the air by evaporation or by being 

absorbed by plants. No information is available 

now to show that it can be found in fish or other 

freshwater animals, or in seafood, or in plants that 

are eaten by people. 

1.3 HOW MIGHT I BE EXPOSED TO 

CHLORFENVINPHOS? 

Most cases of unintentional chlorfenvinphos 

poisoning have resulted from short exposures to 

very high concentrations of this substance. Usually 

this occurred when people unintentionally 

swallowed it. Workers involved in pesticide 

application, or dairy farming, cattle or sheep 

holding, or poultry production, may have inhaled, 

swallowed, or contaminated their skin with a large 

amount of the substance if they did not properly 

protect themselves when using it. The most 

common way for people to be exposed to 

chlorfenvinphos is by eating imported agricultural 

products contaminated with it and by using 

pharmaceutical products that contain lanolin. 

Lanolin is a natural grease from sheep's wool wax 

that is used as a base for many medications, 

cosmetic skin lotions, and creams that are rubbed on 

the skin to keep the skin from drying. 

Chlorfenvinphos used to control flies in animal 

buildings and holding pens can contaminate sheep's 

wool. If you live in areas surrounding hazardous 

waste disposal sites or treatment facilities for 

chlorfenvinphos, you could be exposed to it by 

contact with soils, runoff water, surface water, or 

groundwater contaminated by spills or leaks on the 

site or facility. People who work in the disposal of 

chlorfenvinphos or its wastes are more likely to be 

exposed. You are most likely to be exposed to 

chlorfenvinphos if you live near chemical plants 

where it was manufactured, or near dairy or poultry 

farms, or cattle or sheep holding areas where it was 

used; or if you live near hazardous waste sites that 

contain it. 

1.4 HOW CAN CHLORFENVINPHOS ENTER 

AND LEAVE MY BODY? 

If you breathe air containing chlorfenvinphos, you 

may absorb it into your body through your lungs. If 

you eat food or drink water containing this 

substance, it may be absorbed from your stomach 

and intestines. Chlorfenvinphos may also enter 

your body through your skin. Once in the body, it 

is rapidly broken down and eliminated from the 

body, mostly when you urinate. It does not build up 

in your tissues. 

1.5 HOW CAN CHLORFENVINPHOS 

AFFECT MY HEALTH? 

To protect the public from the harmful effects of 

toxic chemicals and to find ways to treat people 

who have been harmed, scientists use many tests. 

One way to see if a chemical will hurt people is to 

learn how the chemical is absorbed, used, and 

released by the body; for some chemicals, animal 

testing may be necessary. Animal testing may also 

be used to identify health effects such as cancer or 

birth defects. Without laboratory animals, scientists 

would lose a basic method to get information 

needed to make wise decisions to protect public 

health. Scientists have the responsibility to treat 

research animals with care and compassion. Laws 

today protect the welfare of research animals and 

scientists must comply with strict animal care 

guidelines. 

Chlorfenvinphos affects the nervous system. In 

animals and people, high doses of the substance 

DEPARTMENT of HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Public Health Service
 

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry 

www.atsdr.cdc.gov/ Telephone: 1-888-422-8737 Fax: 770-488-4178 E-Mail: atsdric@cdc.gov 
 

 

 

 

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PUBLIC HEALTH STATEMENT 

CHLORFENVINPHOS 

CAS#: 470-90-6 

Division of Toxicology September 1997 

produce effects on the nervous system similar to 

those produced by high doses of muscarine and pure 

nicotine. Some mild symptoms of exposure are 

headache, dizziness, weakness, feelings of anxiety, 

confusion, runny nose, constriction of the pupils of 

the eye, and inability to see clearly. More severe 

symptoms may include nausea and vomiting, 

abdominal cramps, slow pulse, diarrhea, pinpoint 

pupils, difficulty in breathing, and passing out 

(fainting). These signs and symptoms may start to 

develop within 30–60 minutes and reach their 

maximum effect after 6–8 hours. Very high 

exposure to chlorfenvinphos has killed people who 

swallowed it by accident or who swallowed large 

amounts of the substance to commit suicide. We do 

not know if people who swallow small quantities of 

chlorfenvinphos over long periods of time will have 

permanent damage to their immune systems. In 

almost all cases, complete recovery occurred when 

exposure stopped. There is no evidence that longterm exposure to small amounts of the 

chlorfenvinphos causes any other harmful health 

effects in people. The substance has not been 

shown to cause birth defects or to prevent 

conception in people. The International Agency for 

Research on Cancer, the Environmental Protection 

Agency, and the National Toxicology Program have 

not yet studied chlorfenvinphos for cancer in people 

and animals. In animal studies, high doses of 

chlorfenvinphos produced effects on the nervous 

system similar to those seen in people. 

1.6 IS THERE A MEDICAL TEST TO 

DETERMINE WHETHER I HAVE BEEN 

EXPOSED TO CHLORFENVINPHOS? 

Most of the signs and symptoms resulting from 

chlorfenvinphos poisoning are due to the inhibition 

of an enzyme called "acetylcholinesterase" in the 

nervous system. This enzyme is also found in your 

red blood cells and a similar enzyme 

(pseudocholinesterase) is found in blood plasma. 

The most common test for exposure to many 

pesticides (including chlorfenvinphos) that contain 

the element phosphorus is to determine the level of 

cholinesterase activity in the red blood cells or 

plasma. This test requires only a small amount of 

blood and can be done in your doctor's office. It 

takes weeks for this enzyme to completely recover 

to normal levels following exposure; therefore, a 

valid test may be conducted a number of days 

following the suspected exposure. This test 

indicates only exposure to a chemical substance of 

this type. It does not specifically show exposure to 

chlorfenvinphos. Other chemicals or disease 

conditions may also alter the activity of this 

enzyme. There is a wide range of normal 

cholinesterase activity among individual people in 

the general population. If your normal or baseline 

value has not been established through a previous 

test, you might have to repeat the test several times 

to determine if your enzyme activity is recovering. 

Specific tests are available to identify 

chlorfenvinphos or its break-down products in your 

blood, body tissue, and urine. These tests are not 

usually available through your doctor's office and 

require special equipment and sample handling. If 

you need the specific test, your doctor can collect 

the sample and send it to a special laboratory for 

analysis. Chlorfenvinphos is rapidly broken down 

to other chemicals and removed from the body (in 

urine), so this test must be done in the first few days 

after exposure to make sure that you have really 

breathed, swallowed, or got chlorfenvinphos on 

your skin. 

DEPARTMENT of HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Public Health Service
 

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry 

www.atsdr.cdc.gov/ Telephone: 1-888-422-8737 Fax: 770-488-4178 E-Mail: atsdric@cdc.gov 
 

 

 

 

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PUBLIC HEALTH STATEMENT 

CHLORFENVINPHOS 

CAS#: 470-90-6 

Division of Toxicology September 1997 

1.7 WHAT RECOMMENDATIONS HAS THE 

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MADE TO 

PROTECT HUMAN HEALTH? 

The federal government develops regulations and 

recommendations to protect public health. 

Regulations can be enforced by law. Federal 

agencies that develop regulations for toxic 

substances include the Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA), the Occupational Safety and Health 

Administration (OSHA), and the Food and Drug 

Administration (FDA). Recommendations provide 

valuable guidelines to protect public health but 

cannot be enforced by law. Federal organizations 

that develop recommendations for toxic substances 

include the Agency for Toxic Substances and 

Disease Registry (ATSDR) and the National 

Institute for Occupational Safety and Health 

(NIOSH). 

Regulations and recommendations can be expressed 

in not-to-exceed levels in air, water, soil, or food 

that are usually based on levels that affect animals, 

then they are adjusted to help protect people. 

Sometimes these not-to-exceed levels differ among 

federal organizations because of different exposure 

times (an 8-hour workday or a 24-hour day), the use 

of different animal studies, or other reasons. 

Recommendations and regulations are also 

periodically updated as more information becomes 

available. For the most current information, check 

with the federal agency or organization that 

provides it. 

The federal government has set standards or 

guidelines to protect people from the possible 

harmful health effects of chlorfenvinphos. These 

include regulated concentration limits for 

agricultural products, public right-to-know 

requirements about production and use of 

chlorfenvinphos, and regulated quantities requiring 

emergency response procedures if an accidental 

release occurred. 

1.8 WHERE CAN I GET MORE 

INFORMATION? 

If you have any more questions or concerns, 

please contact your community or state health or 

environmental quality department or: 

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry 

Division of Toxicology 

1600 Clifton Road NE, Mailstop F-32 

Atlanta, GA 30333 

Information line and technical assistance: 

Phone: 888-422-8737 

FAX: (770)-488-4178 

ATSDR can also tell you the location of 

occupational and environmental health clinics. 

These clinics specialize in recognizing, evaluating, 

and treating illnesses resulting from exposure to 

hazardous substances. 

To order toxicological profiles, contact: 

National Technical Information Service 

5285 Port Royal Road 

Springfield, VA 22161 

Phone: 800-553-6847 or 703-605-6000 

Reference 

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry 

(ATSDR). 1997. Toxicological profile for 

chlorfenvinphos. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of 

Health and Human Services, Public Health Service. 

DEPARTMENT of HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Public Health Service
 

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry 

www.atsdr.cdc.gov/ Telephone: 1-888-422-8737 Fax: 770-488-4178 E-Mail: atsdric@cdc.gov