Conversion of Pyrethroid Insecticides to 3-Phenoxybenzoic Acid on Urban Hard Surfaces

• DOI: 10.1021/acs.estlett.7b00466
• Publication Date: 2017-11-07T19:59:45Z
• Authors: Jaben Richards; Zhijiang Lu; Qiuguo Fu; Daniel Schlenk; Jay Gan
• Keywords: Cyhalothrin

The urban use of pyrethroids has been associated with the contamination and toxicity surface water. A less considered phenomenon is that many may be transformed to a common intermediate, 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3-PBA), an endocrine-disrupting compound. Here we examined conversion five pyrethroids, permethrin, λ-cyhalothrin, deltamethrin, fenpropathrin, esfenvalerate, 3-PBA on concrete. Formation was almost instantaneous, reaching up 3% initial level within hours exposure, caused mainly by hydrolysis, likely enhanced strong alkalinity accumulation concrete transient, half-lives 4.2–6.7 h depending treatment. Low levels (nanograms per liter) were frequently found in streams draining residential neighborhoods, validating off-site transport potential from hard surfaces. Findings this study suggested hardscapes such as pavement are reactive surfaces, conducive formation biologically active transformation products.