VOLATILIZATION OF DDT-14C AND LINDANE-14C FROM TREATED SURFACES, AND METABOLISM OF DDT-14C BY HOUSE FLY PUPAE

Abstract

AbstractMeasurement of radioactivity immediately after application on house fly puparia was found to be the most accurate measure of the weight of radioactive insecticide applied topically and resulted in precise evaluation of the data. Use of radioactive chemicals and microcoulometric determinations indicates that considerable quantities of DDT-14C, heptachlor epoxide - 14C, and lindane-14C, volatilize from applied surfaces, a factor which should not be neglected during penetration studies. Metabolites of DDT were studied by GLC. Only DDE was obtained from flies which emerged from treated puparia of a DDT-resistant strain. Puparial washing 24 hours after treatment yielded some DDE indicating partial metabolism of DDT to DDE on the surface of the cuticle.