The stability of organophosphorus insecticides in fresh blood.

We investigated the stability of 14 organophosphorus insecticides: dichlorvos, fenitrothion, cyanophos, malathion, phenthoate, methidathion, dimethoate, thiometon, isoxathion, diazinon, trichlorfon, EPN, acephate and sulprofos, in fresh blood. The organophosphorus compounds, except for sulprofos, decomposed over time at 37 degrees C, with varying decomposition speed for each compound. Methyl phosphate types (dichlorvos) decomposed most rapidly, followed by methyl thiophosphate types (fenitrothion and cyanophos) and methyl dithiophosphate types (methidathion, dimethoate and thiometon). Methyl thiophosphate types decomposed faster than ethyl thiophosphate types (isoxathion and diazinon). Of the five methyl dithiophosphate type insecticides (malathion, phenthoate, methidathion, dimethoate and thiometon), the compounds with a carboxylic ester bond (malathion and phenthoate) decomposed faster than the others. Compounds left standing at 37 degrees C decomposed faster than those left standing at 4 degrees C. Temperature has a great effect on the decomposition of organophosphorus insecticides in blood. However, the order of the decomposition speeds of each compound was approximately the same at different temperatures. In cases of suspected organophosphate poisoning, it should be considered that the blood concentration of the compound might decrease during the postmortem interval.