Uptake and Persistence of the Vertebrate Pesticide, Sodium Monofluoroacetate (Compound 1080), in Plants of Cultural Importance

• Published in: Ecotoxicology (London) 2006-02, Vol.15 (1), p.1-7
• Main Authors: Ogilvie, Shaun C, Ataria, James M, Waiwai, James, Doherty, James E, Lambert, Michelle, Lambert, Neuton, King, David
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Asplenium; Asplenium bulbiferum (G. Forster); Baits; Compound 1080; Coprosma; Coprosma robusta (Raoul); culturally important plants; ecotoxicology; Environmental Monitoring; Ferns - chemistry; Ferns - metabolism; Fluoroacetates - analysis; Food Contamination; Humans; Indigenous peoples; Maori; New Zealand; Pesticides; Risk Assessment; Rodenticides - analysis; Rubiaceae - chemistry; Rubiaceae - metabolism; Sodium; sodium monofluoroacetate; Soil Pollutants - analysis; Toxins; Trichosurus vulpecula; vertebrate pesticides; Vertebrates
• ISSN: 0963-9292; 1573-3017
• DOI: 10.1007/s10646-005-0039-z

Field research was undertaken to determine if naturally occurring plants utilised by a Maori (the indigenous people of New Zealand) community for food and medicine would take up the toxin sodium monofluoroacetate (Compound 1080) from baits used to control the brush-tailed possum Trichosurus vulpecula. Single baits were placed at the base of individual plants of two species, pikopiko (Asplenium bulbiferum) and karamuramu (Coprosma robusta). Plants were sampled at various times up to 56 days, and samples analyzed for 1080 content. No 1080 was detected in any of the pikopiko samples, whereas 1080 was detected in karamuramu, at a maximum concentration of 5 ppb after 7 days, and 2.5 ppb after 14 days. This concentration decreased to zero at 28 days, indicating that while karamuramu was shown to take up 1080, it was not persistent. The results of this study suggest there is negligible risk of humans being poisoned by consuming plants that have taken up 1080 from baits. To allay community concerns that minute concentrations of 1080 might influence the medicinal properties of plants, it is suggested a withholding period of 30 days after 1080 control operations could be adopted.