Chemical Aspects of the Fight Against Insects

Abstract

A survey is given of the existing knowledge on the mode of action of DDT and analogous compounds, especially the 1,I-diaryl-2,2,2-trifluoroethane derivatives. as well as DDT synergists. The relative importance of DDT dehydrochlorinase for the detoxification of DDT is discussed.The nutritive requirements of the insects and their differences from those of higher animals are surveyed. Of particular interest are the sterol requirements of the insects, which are incapable of synthesizing these compounds, and the biological availability of "unnatural" analogs of the sterols,