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Comparative aquatic toxicity of the pyrethroid insecticide lambda-cyhalothrin and its resolved isomer gamma-cyhalothrin

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Abstract

In this review we compare the sensitivity of a range of aquatic invertebrate and fish species to gamma-cyhalothrin (GCH), the insecticidally active enantiomer of the synthetic pyrethroid lambda-cyhalothrin (LCH), in single-species laboratory tests and outdoor multi-species ecosystem tests. Species sensitivity distribution curves for GCH gave median HC5 values of 0.47 ng/L for invertebrates, and 23.7 ng/L for fish, while curves for LCH gave median HC5 values of 1.05 ng/L and 40.9 ng/L for invertebrates and fish, respectively. A model ecosystem test with GCH gave a community-level no observed effect concentration (NOECcommunity) of 5 ng/L, while model ecosystem tests with LCH gave a NOECcommunity of 10 ng/L. These comparisons between GCH and LCH indicate that the single active enantiomer causes effects at approximately one-half the concentration at which the racemate causes similar effects.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Compliance Services International, 61 Cross Road, Rochester, MA, 02770, USA

    Jeffrey M. Giddings

  2. Dow AgroSciences, 3 Milton Park, Abingdon, OX4 4RN, UK

    Ian Barber

  3. EcoStat, P.O. Box 425, Mebane, NC, 27302, USA

    William Warren-Hicks

Authors
  1. Jeffrey M. Giddings
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  2. Ian Barber
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  3. William Warren-Hicks
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Correspondence to Jeffrey M. Giddings.

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Giddings, J.M., Barber, I. & Warren-Hicks, W. Comparative aquatic toxicity of the pyrethroid insecticide lambda-cyhalothrin and its resolved isomer gamma-cyhalothrin. Ecotoxicology 18, 239–249 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-008-0277-y

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