Water Lindane enters water from direct application for the control of mosquitos, from use in agriculture and forestry, from precipitation and, to a lesser extent, from occasional contamination of wastewater from manufacturing plants. Food HCH isomers are found in dairy products, meat, fish, poultry, garden fruits, oils and fats, leafy and root vegetables, and sugar. Intake from air may be considerable for people living in houses treated for pest-control purposes. After oral administration of lindane, absorption is almost complete. Dermal absorption also appears to be considerable.
Absorption is enhanced in the presence of lipids.
In rats, lindane is stored in fat to some extent, but elimination via urine is fairly rapid. In general, lindane in animals and humans is metabolized via dehydrochlorination, dechlorination, dehydrogenation, and oxidation, yielding hexachlorocyclohexene, pentachlorocyclohexene, tetrachlorocyclohexene, and hexachlorocyclohexenol, respectively, as intermediates. Neurotoxic effects have been reported in several species of animals. Two 90-day studies in rats showed the same type of effects in liver and kidneys. Effects in kidneys were found only in males.