A biological test to quantify pyrethroid in impregnated nets

First instar larvae of Aedes aegypti (L.) (Diptera: Culicidae) are very susceptible to deltamethrin, which kills all larvae at a very low dose (0.1 mu g/l). Thus the sensitivity of this insect to detect that pyrethroid is in parts per billion, as obtained with most common chromatographic methods of analysis. Here we describe a biological test (BT) to quantify deltamethrin in long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) by exposing first instar larvae of Ae. aegypti to serial extracted insecticide solutions from net samples. The deltamethrin concentration in the net was calculated at the doses killing 50% of larva, from the LC50 of deltamethrin (6.5 x 10(-5) mg/l) and the dilution factor (DF50) of the extracted net solution. The pyrethroid quantification in LLINs after 0-25 washes with this BT was correlated with those obtained by direct chromatographic analysis (r(2) = 0.84). This BT did not require sophisticated equipment and could be extended to other molecules and materials. It appeared accurate, robust, cheap and well adapted to the national malaria programmes as the eggs of Ae. aegypti might be used for some months. This method was adapted to provide an easy to use kit test for the quality control of LLINs in the field.