Myricetin Inhibits Photodegradation of Profenofos in Water: Pathways and Mechanisms

Profenofos is a detectable insecticide in the environment with strong toxicity to non-targeted organisms. Photodegradation is a main transformation of profenofos in the environment. Myricetin is a flavonoid that strongly scavenges free radicals. The effect of myricetin on the photodegradation of profenofos was studied. The half-lives (T1/2) of profenofos were 1.7–7.0 and 90 h under artificial light and sunlight. The photolysis rate of profenofos decreased by 1.87–4.72 and 7.62 times with the addition of 20 ratios of myricetin. Free radicals reacting with profenofos were •OH and1O2, and the key free radical was •OH. Myricetin strongly scavenged •OH and1O2which rapidly reacted with profenofos.O-(2-Chlorophenyl)-O-ethyl-S-propyl phosphorothioate (M3) andO-(2-chlorophenyl)-O-ethyl phosphorothioate (M4) were major and new photoproducts of profenofos. According to the Ecological Structure Activity Relationships, photodegradation of profenofos was a detoxification process, but myricetin inhibited the photodegradation of profenofos and its photoproducts. These results highlight the implication of myricetin on the fate and potential risk of profenofos in the environment.