Michael Elliott (chemist)

Michael Elliott, CBE, FRS, FRSC (30 September 1924 – 17 October 2007) was a chemist and Lawes Trust Senior Fellow at Rothamsted Experimental Station who invented and commercialised the development of novel insecticides known as pyrethroids.[1][2][3][4]

Michael Elliott
Born(1924-09-30)30 September 1924
Died17 October 2007(2007-10-17) (aged 83)
Alma materUniversity of Southampton

Education

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Elliott was educated at The Skinners' School in Tunbridge Wells and the University of Southampton where he was awarded Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees.[when?][5]

Research and career

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Elliott led the team that invented the major pyrethroid insecticides bioresmethrin, permethrin, cypermethrin and deltamethrin.[6][7] In 2009 it was estimated that pyrethroid-treated mosquito nets significantly decreased the number of deaths due to malaria.[6]

Awards and honours

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Elliott was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) in 1979[6] and appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1982.[5] He was awarded the Wolf Prize in Agriculture in 1989.

References

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  1. ^ Elliott, M.; Janes, N. F. (1978). "Synthetic pyrethroids? A new class of insecticide". Chemical Society Reviews. 7 (4): 473. doi:10.1039/cs9780700473.
  2. ^ Elliott, M.; Farnham, A. W.; Janes, N. F.; Needham, P. H.; Pearson, B. C. (1967). "5-Benzyl-3-furylmethyl Chrysanthemate: a New Potent Insecticide". Nature. 213 (5075): 493–494. Bibcode:1967Natur.213..493E. doi:10.1038/213493a0. S2CID 4255634.
  3. ^ Elliott, M.; Farnham, A. W.; Janes, N. F.; Needham, P. H.; Pulman, D. A.; Stevenson, J. H. (1973). "A Photostable Pyrethroid". Nature. 246 (5429): 169–170. Bibcode:1973Natur.246..169E. doi:10.1038/246169a0. PMID 4586114. S2CID 4176154.
  4. ^ Elliott, M.; Farnham, A. W.; Janes, N. F.; Needham, P. H.; Pulman, D. A. (1974). "Synthetic insecticide with a new order of activity". Nature. 248 (5450): 710–711. Bibcode:1974Natur.248..710E. doi:10.1038/248710a0. PMID 4833277. S2CID 4150273.
  5. ^ a b "ELLIOTT, Dr Michael". Who's Who & Who Was Who. Vol. 2016 (online Oxford University Press ed.). Oxford: A & C Black. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  6. ^ a b c Pickett, John (2016). "Michael Elliott CBE. 30 September 1924 — 17 October 2007". Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society. 62. London: Royal Society: 109–123. doi:10.1098/rsbm.2016.0018.
  7. ^ Farnham, Andrew (2007). "Obituary: Michael Elliott, Chemist whose research led to modern insecticides". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016.