The in vitro and in vivo oxidation and hydrolysis of malathion by wheat grain esterases

Wheat grain esterases were shown to oxidise malathion to malaoxon which had no lasting inhibitory effect on those hydrolytic enzymes involved in the degradation of malathion. Breakdown of malaoxon proceeded by routes similar to those for malathion and it was concluded, from the small amount of malaoxon produced in a short storage trial, that oxidation played only a minor role in the degradation of malathion by wheat grain esterases.