Side effects of solvents, especially acetone, used for the application of juvenile hormone mimics and chemosterilants

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Abstract
Acetone at a dose of 1 μl was one of the least toxic of 11 solvents applied topically to fifth-instar nymphs of Dysdercus fasciatus Sign., while ctronellal, n-dodecane and n-tridecane at a dose of 0.5 μl were the most toxic. Acetone applied at 0.3 μl to third- and fourth-instar numphs caused negligible mortalities but about 60% of the treated nymphs gave rise to abnormal adults which, although capable of mating, laid eggs which were significantly less fertile than those from treated individuals which emerged as normal adults. These abnormalities could be attributed to a hormonal imbalance. Apparently normal adults arising from nymphs treated at the third instar with 0.6 μl acetone had 35% fertile matings (controls 70%) due to interference in the production and transference of motile sperm. The effects of acetone as a solvent in laboratory experiments could therefore be confounded with those attributed to juvenile hormones.