Abstract
SUNLIGHT and ultraviolet light convert aldrin, dieldrin and heptachlor to their corresponding isomers, photoaldrin, photodieldrin and photoheptachlor respectively, which are more toxic to mosquito larvae and housefly adults1–3. In these insects the onset of toxic symptoms is much faster with the photoisomers than the parent compounds and has been assumed to be due to their rapid oxidative dehydrochlorination to lipophilic ketones3,4. The effect of photoisomerization of isodrin is opposite to that seen with other photoisomers. Photoisodrin, because of its rapid detoxification, is far less toxic than isodrin to these two insects4,5.
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References
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GEORGACAKIS, E., KHAN, M. Toxicity of the Photoisomers of Cyclodiene Insecticides to Freshwater Animals. Nature 233, 120–121 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1038/233120a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/233120a0
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