A powerful chlorine-containing pesticide once widely used against insects but now banned in many countries because it's toxic and long-lasting in the environment.
From chlor- (chlorine) + diene (a chemical structure with two double bonds). Synthesized in 1945 and named by its chemical structure; the name reflects its molecular composition of chlorinated diene compounds.
Chlordane is a cautionary tale in chemistry: it was so effective at killing pests that it became wildly popular in the 1950s, but scientists later realized it accumulated in animals' bodies and caused neurological damage—today it's a case study in why we test chemicals carefully.
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