Gas chromatographic and mass spectrometric studies on pyrethroid photo- and biotransformation

Summary Applications of high resolution gas chromatography (GC) and mass spectrometry (MS) in pesticide chemistry are demonstrated by pyrethroid photo- and biotransformation studies. Degradation of chrysanthemate pyrethroids (e.g. the natural pyrethrins, allethrin, tetramethrin and cyphenothrin) used as indoor insecticides is investigated by GC-MS using negative chemical ionization (NCI). Ozonolysis results in the formation of carbox-aldehydes as major indoor transformation products. In vitro metabolism of (S)-bioallethrin and the natural pyrethrins by NADPH dependent oxidases is studied using GC-MS with positive chemical ionization (PCI). Interpretation of the PCI mass spectra yields molecular weight and structural information about the metabolites and their derivatives. The photochemistry of novel non-ester pyrethroids with ether or alkane central linkages such as ethofenprox is investigated by electron impact (EI) GC-MS.