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  • Pesticides And Related Organic Compounds
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Persistence of the insect growth regulator Dimilin® in brackish water: a laboratory evaluation using larvae of an estuarine crab as indicator

Helgoländer Meeresuntersuchungen volume 33, pages 327–332 (1980)Cite this article

Abstract

The persistence of Dimilin® (diflubenzuron), an insect growth regulator which interferes with chitin formation in the cuticle of insect larvae, has been studied using larvae of the estuarine brachyuran crabRhithropanopeus harrisii (Gould) as test material. The results of the present investigation show that Dimilin breaks down relatively slowly in brackish water. It took about 8 weeks before a 10 ppb solution of Dimilin degraded to a level which did not affect survival of the crab larvae. Earlier it was shown (Christiansen et al., 1978) that nearly 100% ofR. harrisii larvae at each of the four zoeal stages died when molting to the succeeding stage after only 3 days of exposure to 10 ppb Dimilin. Hence, one should be extremely cautious in using Dimilin in estuarine areas where crab larvae occur.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Zoological Museum, University of Oslo, Sarsgt. 1, Oslo 5, Norway

    M. E. Christiansen

  2. Duke University Marine Laboratory, 28516, Beaufort, North Carolina, USA

    J. D. Costlow Jr.

Authors
  1. M. E. Christiansen
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  2. J. D. Costlow Jr.
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Christiansen, M.E., Costlow, J.D. Persistence of the insect growth regulator Dimilin® in brackish water: a laboratory evaluation using larvae of an estuarine crab as indicator. Helgolander Meeresunters 33, 327–332 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02414758

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