Permethrin toxicity

Amweg EL. 2006. Effect of piperonyl butoxide on permethrin toxicity in the amphipod Hyalella azteca. Environ Toxicol Chem 25 1817-1825. 

Encapsulated fonofos, a soil insecticide, was developed to coat seeds before they were planted (72). Encapsulation reduces oral toxicity 100-fold and dermal toxicity 10-fold while extending activity of the fonofos. Other encapsulated pesticides available include permethrin and parathion (69). Significantly, all commercial encapsulated pesticides are prepared by interfacial polymeri2ation. 

Alternatively, fabric patches treated with permethrin have been evaluated against natural and laboratory strains of human body flee in Pern. Permethrin-treated fabric is toxic to flee on contact and quickly affects feeding behavior, even when washed up to 20 times. Thus permethrin-treated clothing intermpts disease transmission, and offers a passive louse control not previously feasible (39). 

Schimmel SC, Gamas RE, Patrick JM, et al. 1983. Acute toxicity, bioconcentration and persistence of AC 222,705, benthiocarb, chlorpyrifos, fenvalerate, methyl parathion and permethrin in the estuarine environment. J Agric Food Chem 31 104-113. 

These synthetic pyrethroids mimic natural counterparts, of which the most important is pyrethrin 1 (10.265). Unfortunately, the natural products lack the photochemical and hydrolytic stability necessary for use as wool insect-resist agents. The synthetic products have the required stability, yet retain the low mammalian toxicity and low environmental retention of the natural products. Permethrin, however, is toxic to aquatic life and is therefore subject to increasingly severe discharge limits. There is some evidence that permethrin is less effective against larvae of a certain beetle. This can be compensated for by using a combination of permethrin with the hexahydropyrimidine derivative 10.264. Some possible alternative pyrethroids have been mentioned [517] as development products (10.266-10.269). 

Anderson, R.L. 1982. Toxicity of fenvalerate and permethrin to several nontarget aquatic invertebrates. Environ. Entomol. 11 1251-1257. 

Hansen, D.J., L.R. Goodman, J.C. Moore, and P.K. Higdon. 1983. Effects of the synthetic pyrethroids AC 222, 705, permethrin and fenvalerate on sheepshead minnows in early life stage toxicity tests. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2 251-258. 

Holcombe, G.W., G.L. Phipps, and D.K. Tanner. 1982. The acute toxicity of kelthane, dursban, disulfoton, pydrin, and permethrin to fathead minnows Pimephales promelas and rainbow trout Salmo gairdneri. Environ. Pollut. 29A 167-178. 

Shore, R.F., D.G. Myhill, M.C. French, D.V. Leach, and R.E. Stebbings. 1991. Toxicity and tissue distribution of pentachlorophenol and permethrin in pipistrelle bats experimentally exposed to treated timber. Environ. Pollut. 73 101-118. 

Cantalamessa F (1993) Acute toxicity of two pyrethroids, permethrin and cypermethrin in neonatal and adult rats. Arch Toxicol 67 510-513... 

Early studies focused on how adsorption to sediments affected the toxicity of SPs to aquatic organisms, through modifying exposure. It was shown for example that when permethrin and cypermethrin were adsorbed to sediments, the apparent toxicities to the water flea (D. magna), the mayfly nymph (Cloeon dipterum), and bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus) were significantly reduced [5]. 

Bacey J, Spurlock F, Stamer K, Feng H, Hsu J, White J, Tran DM (2005) Residues and toxicity of esfenvalerate and permethrin in water and sediments, in tributaries of the Scaramento and San Joaquin Rivers, California, USA. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 74 864-871... 

Tilson HA, Hong JS, Mactutus CF. 1985. Effects of 5,5-diphenylhydantoin (phenytoin) on neurobehavioral toxicity of organochlorine insecticides and permethrin. J Pharmacol Exp Ther... 

Rice PJ, Drewes CD, Klubertanz TM, et al. 1997. Acute toxicity and behavioral effects of chlorpyrifos, permethrin, phenol, strychnine, and 2,4-dinitrophenol to 30-day-old Japanese Medaka (Oryzias latipes). Environ Toxicol Chem 16 696-704. 

Turfgrass chemicals are by no means the only toxic hazard faced by average people, nor indeed the most unjust or egregiously unfair one, of course. Consider, for example, the disproportionately high exposure of inner city residents to propoxur, chlorpyrifos, diazinon, and permethrin used to treat the insects and pests that are an everyday part of life in poorly maintained structures, rented by absent and indifferent landlords. The use of such chemicals in lawn management is far less directly utilitarian than in inner city homes, however such urban residents face a health hazard where lawn managers face a mere nuisance, if that. 

Jarboe, H.H. and Romaire, R.P. Acute toxicity of permethrin to four sizes of red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) and observations of post-exposure effects. Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol, 20(3) 337-342, 1991. 

Sibley, P.K. and Kaushik, N.K. Toxicity of rtricroencapsulated permethrin to selected nontarget aquatic invertebrates, Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol, 29(2) 168-176, 1991. 

Many semi-synthetic esters, e.g. bioresmethrin, permethrin, and phenothrin, have been produced and these have increased toxicity towards insects and also extended lifetimes. All such esters retain a high proportion of the natural chrysanthemic acid or pyrethric acid structure. 

Permethrin is toxic to Pediculus humanus, Pthirus pubis, and Sarcoptes scabiei. Less than 2% of an applied dose is absorbed percutaneously. Residual drug persists up to 10 days following application. 

---