Reactivity of hydroxyl radicals with neonicotinoid insecticides: mechanism and changes in toxicity.

The reactivity of hydroxyl radicals (HO ) towards three neonicotonoid insecticides, namely imidacloprid, thiacloprid and acetamiprid was investigated. These radicals were generated by photolysis of H(2)O(2) solutions. Flash photolysis experiments were used to determine the rate constants of 5.5 x 10(10) M(-1)s(-1), 6 x 10(10) M(-1)s(-1), and 7.5 x 10(10) M(-1)s(-1), for the reactions of HO with acetamiprid, imidacloprid, and thiacloprid, respectively. Continuous irradiation experiments in the absence and presence of H(2)O(2) allowed the identification and toxicity evaluation of the primary photo- and oxidation products of the insecticides. In all cases, the less toxic 6-chloronicotinic acid was found to be the major product at higher degrees of oxidation. The results reported here indicate that the half life of the insecticides due to their reaction with HO radicals in natural aquatic reservoirs may vary between 5 h and 19 days, and therefore the hydroxyl radical-mediated oxidation may be a significant abiotic elimination route. However, elimination of the insecticide under such conditions might not improve the quality of the contaminated water, as the primary products of degradation still show considerable toxicity to Vibrio fischeri assays.

Reactions of sulphate radicals with substituted pyridines: a structure-reactivity correlation analysis.

The kinetics of the oxidation of pyridine, 3-chloropyridine, 3-cyanopyridine, 3-methoxypyridine and 3-methylpyridine mediated by SO4 () radicals are studied by flash photolysis of peroxodisulphate, S2O8(2-), at pH 2.5 and 9. The absolute rate constants for the reactions of both, the basic and acid forms of the pyridines, are determined and discussed in terms of the Hammett correlation. The monosubstituted pyridines react about 10 times faster with sulphate radicals than their protonated forms, the pyridine ions. The organic intermediates are identified as the corresponding hydroxypyridine radical adducts and their absorption spectra compared with those estimated employing the time-dependent density functional theory with explicit account for bulk solvent effects. A reaction mechanism which accounts for the observed intermediates and the pyridinols formed as products is proposed.