Stereoselective degradation kinetics of theta-cypermethrin in rats

Environ Sci Technol. 2006 Feb 1;40(3):721-6. doi: 10.1021/es052025+.

Abstract

The enantioselective degradation and chiral conversion of theta-cypermethrin (TCYM) in rats have been studied via intravenous (i.v.) injection. The degradation kinetics and the enantiomer fraction (EF) were determined by means of normal-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with diode array detection (DAD) and a cellulosetris-(3,5-dimethylphenylcarbamate)-based chiral stationary phase (CDMPC-CSP). The degradation followed pseudo-first-order kinetics. The degradation of the (+)-TCYM was much faster than that of the (-)-TCYM in plasma, heart, liver, kidney, and fat after administration of racemic TCYM (rac-TCYM). The EFs were over 0.500 in these tissues and muscle. The results showed the conversion of (+)-enantiomer to (-)-enantiomer in plasma after injection of (-)- and (+)-TCYM separately. The results for the major differences in the degradation of the enantiomers may have some implication for the environmental and ecological risks assessment for chiral pesticides.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biodegradation, Environmental
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
  • Environmental Pollutants / metabolism*
  • Insecticides / metabolism*
  • Isomerism
  • Kinetics
  • Pyrethrins / metabolism*
  • Rats
  • Risk Assessment

Substances

  • Environmental Pollutants
  • Insecticides
  • Pyrethrins
  • cypermethrin