Preface
The book on “Pyrethroid Insecticides” is based on the scientific developments and
results achieved along several years of research. Pyrethroid insecticides, introduced
in the late 1970s, actually represent 25% of global sales of insecticides. In the last
decades, they have increasingly replaced organochlorine pesticides due to their
relatively lower mammalian toxicity, selective insecticide activity and lower environmental persistence. They are considered to be “safe” because they are converted
to non-toxic metabolites by oxidative metabolism in fish and by hydrolysis in
mammals. However, recent studies demonstrated their environmental ubiquity,
their bioaccumulation and their toxicity in different aquatic and terrestrial
organisms and even in humans.
This book aims to review and compile the main developments and knowledge
acquired over many years of study from a multidisciplinary way, including
analytical chemistry, environmental, biological and toxicological developments.
The book is structured in 12 different chapters, covering the state of the art of
analysis, fate and behaviour and toxicity of pyrethroid insecticides. Experts in the
field provide an overview of their physico-chemical properties and uses, the
advanced chemical analytical methods, the occurrence in environment and biota,
the isomeric and enantiomeric behaviour, the toxicological effects and the human
exposure. Finally, the last chapter concerns the main conclusions and future trends,
being the starting point to be taken in mind for the future studies in the field of
pyrethroid insecticides.
We hope the book will be of interest to a broad audience of scientific researchers
as well as for authorities and producers. Finally, I would like to thank all the
contributing authors of this book for their time and effort in preparing this comprehensive compilation of research papers.
Barcelona, Spain
Ethel Eljarrat
January 2020
ix
The book on “Pyrethroid Insecticides” is based on the scientific developments and
results achieved along several years of research. Pyrethroid insecticides, introduced
in the late 1970s, actually represent 25% of global sales of insecticides. In the last
decades, they have increasingly replaced organochlorine pesticides due to their
relatively lower mammalian toxicity, selective insecticide activity and lower environmental persistence. They are considered to be “safe” because they are converted
to non-toxic metabolites by oxidative metabolism in fish and by hydrolysis in
mammals. However, recent studies demonstrated their environmental ubiquity,
their bioaccumulation and their toxicity in different aquatic and terrestrial
organisms and even in humans.
This book aims to review and compile the main developments and knowledge
acquired over many years of study from a multidisciplinary way, including
analytical chemistry, environmental, biological and toxicological developments.
The book is structured in 12 different chapters, covering the state of the art of
analysis, fate and behaviour and toxicity of pyrethroid insecticides. Experts in the
field provide an overview of their physico-chemical properties and uses, the
advanced chemical analytical methods, the occurrence in environment and biota,
the isomeric and enantiomeric behaviour, the toxicological effects and the human
exposure. Finally, the last chapter concerns the main conclusions and future trends,
being the starting point to be taken in mind for the future studies in the field of
pyrethroid insecticides.
We hope the book will be of interest to a broad audience of scientific researchers
as well as for authorities and producers. Finally, I would like to thank all the
contributing authors of this book for their time and effort in preparing this comprehensive compilation of research papers.
Barcelona, Spain
Ethel Eljarrat
January 2020
ix