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EXTOXNET PIP- MANCOZEB Page 2 of 3 <br /> and 25 mg/kg/day of mancozeb, but not in those dogs fed 0.625 mg/kg/day [1]. A major toxicological concern in <br /> situations of chronic exposure is the generation of ethylenethiourea(ETU) in the course of mancozeb metabolism, <br /> and as a contaminant in mancozeb production [1,33]. ETU may also be produced when EBDCs are used on stored <br /> produce, or during cooking [9]. In addition to having the potential to cause goiter, a condition in which the thyroid <br /> gland is enlarged, this metabolite has produced birth defects and cancer in experimental animals [9]. <br /> • Reproductive effects: In a three-generation rat study with mancozeb at a dietary level of 50 mg/kg/day there was <br /> reduced fertility but no indication of embryotoxic effects [1,9]. In another study in which pregnant rats were <br /> exposed to mancozeb by inhalation, toxic effects on the pups were observed only at exposure levels (55 mg/m3) <br /> that were also toxic to the dams [1]. It is unlikely that mancozeb will produce reproductive effects in humans under <br /> normal circumstances. <br /> • Teratogenic effects: No teratogenic effects were observed in a three-generation rat study with mancozeb at a <br /> dietary level of 50 mg/kg/day [1]. Developmental abnormalities of the body wall, central nervous system, eye, ear, <br /> and musculoskeletal system were observed in experimental rats which were given a very high dose of 1320 mg/kg <br /> of mancozeb on the 11th day of pregnancy [25]. Mancozeb was not teratogenic to rats when it was inhaled by <br /> pregnant females at airborne concentrations of 0.017 mg/L [32]. In pregnant rats fed 5 mg/kg/day,the lowest dose <br /> tested, developmental toxicity was observed in the form of delayed hardening of the bones of the skull in offspring <br /> [9]. In view of the conflicting evidence, the teratogenicity of mancozeb is not known. <br /> • Mutagenic effects: Mancozeb was found to be mutagenic in one set of tests, while in another it did not cause <br /> mutations [9]. Mancozeb is thought to be similar to maneb,which was not mutagenic in the Ames Test [32]. Data <br /> regarding the mutagenicity are inconclusive but suggest that mancozeb is either not mutagenic or weakly <br /> mutagenic. <br /> • Carcinogenic effects: No data are available regarding the carcinogenic effects of mancozeb. While studies of other <br /> EBDCs indicate they are not carcinogenic, ETU(a mancozeb metabolite), has caused cancer in experimental <br /> animals at high doses [9,10]. Thus, the carcinogenic potential of mancozeb is not currently known. <br /> • Organ toxicity: The main target organ of mancozeb is the thyroid gland; the effects may be due to the metabolite <br /> ETU [9,10]. <br /> • Fate in humans and animals: Mancozeb is rapidly absorbed into the body from the gastrointestinal tract, <br /> distributed to various target organs, and almost completely excreted in 96 hours. ETU is the major mancozeb <br /> metabolite of toxicologic significance, with carbon disulfide as a minor metabolite [10]. <br /> Ecological Effects: <br /> • Effects on birds: Mancozeb is slightly toxic to birds,with reported -day dietary LC50 values in bobwhite quail and <br /> mallard ducklings of greater than 10,000 ppm [32]. The 10-day dietary LC50 values of 6400 ppm and 3200 ppm are <br /> reported for mallard ducks and Japanese quail, respectively [4]. <br /> • Effects on aquatic organisms: Mancozeb is moderately to highly toxic to fish and aquatic organisms. Reported 48- <br /> hour LC50 are 9 mg/L in goldfish, 2.2 mg/L in rainbow trout, 5.2 mg/L in catfish, and 4.0 mg/L in carp [4]. The <br /> reported 72-hour LC50 for mancozeb in crayfish is greater than 40 mg/L; the 48-hour LC50 is 3.5 mg/L in tadpoles <br /> [32]. <br /> • Effects on other organisms: Mancozeb is not toxic to honeybees [4]. <br /> Environmenal Fate: <br /> • Breakdown in soil and groundwater: Mancozeb is of low soil persistence, with a reported field half-life of I to 7 <br /> days [20]. Mancozeb rapidly and spontaneously degrades to ETU in the presence of water and oxygen [101. ETU <br /> may persist for longer, on the order of 5 to 10 weeks [20]. Because mancozeb is practically insoluble in water, it is <br /> unlikely to infiltrate groundwater [3]. Studies do indicate that ETU, a metabolite of mancozeb, has the potential to <br /> be mobile in soils [9]. However, ETU has been detected (at 0.016 mg/L) in only 1 out of 1295 drinking water wells <br /> http://extoxnet.orst.edu/pips/mancozeb.htm /13/200( <br />