What is Lindane Anyway?
For starters it is consistently ranked among the top chemicals of concern by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. By any other name, lindane is the 99% pure gamma isomer of hexachlorocyclohexane. It was introduced as a pediculicide and scabicide in 1952 as Kwell by Reed and Carnrick. The Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Encyclopedia describes the manufacturing process of lindane as one in which chlorine gas is gradually passed into 660 part of benzene (a known carcinogen) until 890 parts of the gas has been absorbed. The mixture is stirred continuously and the temperature is maintained at 15 degrees C to 20 degrees C. The supply of chlorine is then interrupted and the precipitated solid filtered off and dried. In weight, it is found to be equivalent of 900 parts. The mother liquid is then mixed with 330 parts of benzene and the mixture again treated with 890 part of chlorine in the manner described. After filtering the reaction mixture resulting from the second chlorinatio
