In soil, some evaporates into the air, while small amounts may stay in the soil for several years . Studies on workers have shown that men may produce fewer sperm, produce sperm that results in more girl than boy babies, and eventually become unable to father children. It can also cause headaches, nausea, lightheadedness, and weakness in workers. Animals breathing high levels of the chemical were not able to reproduce and had damaged stomachs, livers, kidneys, brains, spleens, blood, and lungs. Breathing low to moderate levels also caused damage to the reproductive system.
Rats exposed to high levels did, however, have an increase in birth defects.
It can also cause skin and eye damage from direct contact. Animal studies found cancer of the nose in animals exposed by breathing the chemical, cancer of the stomach and kidney in animals that ingested the chemical, and cancer of the stomach and skin in animals who had skin contact with the chemical. We do not know if these same cancers would occur in people. These tests may require special equipment and they may not be available in your doctor's office. Because exposure to this chemical lowers the number of sperm, we can count the number of sperm and blood levels of certain hormones in exposed men to determine whether harmful effects have occurred.