Abstract
When applied to the leaf surface of bean plants, (+)-trans and (+)-cis permethrin [3-phenoxybenzyl 3-(2, 2-dichlorovinyl)-2, 2-dimethylcyclopropanecarboxylate] were readily metabolized in bean plants. The half-life was about 7 days and 9 days, respectively, for trans and cis Permethrin. Both isomers of permethrin underwent ester cleavage, oxidation at the phenoxy group of the alcohol and probably at the geminal dimethyl group in the acid, and conjugation of the resulting carboxylic acids and alcohols. The major metabolites derived from the alcohol moiety were glucosides of 3-phenoxybenzyl alcohol, 3- (2′-hydroxyphenoxy) benzyl alcohol and 3-(4′-hydroxyphenoxy) benzyl alcohol, and those derived from the acid moiety were glucosides of 3-(2, 2-dichlorovinyl)-2, 2-dimethylcyclopropanecarboxylic acid and probably its hydroxylated derivatives.
Both permethrin isomers and their metabolites hardly moved from the application site to the other parts of the plants.
