Evaluation and significance of tetracycline stability in rabies vaccine baits.

Tetracycline is widely used as a biomarker for bait consumption by wildlife; tetracycline is incorporated into bones and teeth and can be detected by fluorescence microscopy several weeks postconsumption. During 2003, the United States Department of Agriculture distributed more than 10 million tetracycline-containing rabies-vaccine baits to control the spread of wildlife vectored rabies to humans, pets, and livestock. To estimate the percentage of target species consuming the baits, raccoons and skunks were collected in baited areas and teeth were analyzed for the presence of the biomarker. Several incidents of low biomarker detection rates prompted an investigation of the stability of the biomarker in the baits. Baits were collected at several points along the manufacturing and distribution chain. Baits were analyzed for free and polymer-bound tetracycline and the less active isomer epitetracycline. Results indicated that a portion of the tetracycline was converted to epitetracycline. Additionally, significant quantities of both compounds were trapped in the polymer, which is homogeneously distributed throughout the bait. The results of this study suggest that approximately 40% of the target quantity of tetracycline was unavailable for absorption. This situation could contribute to low biomarker detection rates and suggests that formulation modification should be considered.

Risk assessment of an acetaminophen baiting program for chemical control of brown tree snakes on Guam: evaluation of baits, snake residues, and potential primary and secondary hazards.

The brown tree snake (Boiga irregularis) is a significant ecological, agricultural, and economic pest on Guam. Acetaminophen has recently been identified as a promising snake toxicant. Subsequent experimentation has shown that acetaminophen-mouse baits are readily consumed by and acutely toxic to browntree snakes. Before implementing an island-wide acetaminophen-mouse baiting program for the reducton of brown tree snake populations,the potential risks to nontarget wildlife must be evaluated. Quantification of nontarget hazards by comparing potential exposure levels to toxicity values suggested a significant level of concern for rodents, cats, pigs, and birds. For these species, subsequent calculations and field and laboratory experiments, which quantified acetaminophen consumption under field conditions, indicated that acetaminophen consumption was minimal. These results indicate that the advantages of using acetaminophen to reduce brown tree snake populations on Guam outweigh the minimal risks to nontarget feral and wildlife species.

Novel field sampling procedure for the determination of methiocarb residues in surface waters from rice fields.

Methiocarb was extracted from surface water samples collected at experimental rice field sites in Louisiana and Texas. The sampling system consisted of a single-stage 90-mm Empore extraction disk unit equipped with a battery-powered vacuum pump. After extraction, the C-18 extraction disks were stored in an inert atmosphere at -10 degrees C and shipped overnight to the laboratory. The disks were extracted with methanol and the extracts analyzed by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with a methanol/water mobile phase. Methiocarb was detected by ultraviolet absorption at 223 nm and quantified with the use of calibration standards. Recoveries from control surface water samples fortified at 5.0, 10, 50, and 100 ng/mL methiocarb averaged 92 +/- 7%. A method limit of detection for methiocarb in rice field surface water was estimated to be 0.23 ng/mL at 223 nm.

Determination of 4,4'-dinitrocarbanilide (DNC), the active component of the antifertility agent nicarbazin, in chicken, duck, and goose plasma.

4,4'-Dinitrocarbanilide (DNC) was extracted from chicken, duck, and goose plasma and isolated by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. DNC was detected by ultraviolet absorbance at 347 nm and quantified by comparison to a calibration standard. Recovery data were determined by analyzing DNC-fortified control plasma. The mean recovery of DNC in fortified chicken plasma samples was 99.7 +/- 1.9% for 0.18 and 9.1 ppm DNC, and in fortified duck and goose plasma samples was 99.5 +/- 4.9% and 101.4 +/- 4.5%, respectively, for 0.18, 9.1, and 18 ppm DNC.

Determination of propionylpromazine hydrochloride in formulation matrixes using reversed-phase ion-pair small bore liquid chromatography.

Propionylpromazine hydrochloride (PPZHCl) has been investigated for use with leghold traps to reduce the amount of self-inflicted trauma experienced by animals restrained by these traps. Three types of PPZHCl formulations made with Karo dark syrup, K-Y Jelly, and Vaseline were used in 2 types of tranquilizer trap devices (TTDs). A reversed-phase ion-pair liquid chromatography (LC) method using a small bore C18 column was used to: (1) determine the purity of the PPZHCl material used in these formulations, and (2) to determine the resulting PPZHCl content of each formulation. Analyte quantitation was done using UV absorption at 280 nm. Regression analysis of calibration standard solutions indicated a linear and directly proportional relationship between analyte response and PPZHCl concentration over the range evaluated. Recovery data from: (1) Vaseline formulations containing 38.8, 16.2, and 8.78% PPZHCl were 104, 92.9, and 90.2%, respectively, (2) Karo dark syrup formulations containing 26.5, 18.1, and 10.3% PPZHCl were 97.7, 99.3, and 106%, respectively, and (3) K-Y Jelly formulations containing 33.0, 23.5, and 13.4% PPZHCl were 100, 99.4, and 88.7%, respectively. The relative standard deviation (RSD) values from triplicate analysis of these formulations ranged from 0.7 to 6.7%. The PPZHCl content from 9 manufactured TTDs, 3 for each formulation type, were analyzed in triplicate and produced RSD values ranging from 0.7-6.8%. These results indicate that the formulation extraction presented could be used to evaluate the PPZHCl content in TTDs prior to field use. The use of a small bore LC column reduced the amount of solvents consumed and hazardous waste generated, compared to sample analysis that uses a more conventional analytical LC column.

Quantitation of pyrethrum residues in brown tree snakes.

A reversed-phase solid-phase extraction-gas chromatography (SPE-GC)-electron capture detection method is developed to quantitate individual rethrin residues in pyrethrum-exposed brown tree snakes. Aliquots (6 g) of homogenized snake tissue are extracted with 10 mL acetonitrile. The rethrins are recovered from the acetonitrile extract and concentrated using C8 SPE. The rethrins are eluted from the SPE column with pentane, evaporated to near dryness, and reconstituted to 1 mL with 1-propanol. Individual rethrins are quantitated using GC analysis of the 1-propanol solution. Method limits of detection for rethrins range from 0.63 to 6.51 ng/g. The mean recovery for all rethrins is 70.8% with a standard deviation of 5.7%. This method is used to successfully quantitate incurred rethrin residues in pyrethrum-exposed brown tree snakes.

Reversed-phase ion-pair liquid chromatographic determination of chlorophacinone and diphacinone in steam-rolled oat baits and steam-rolled oat/wax baits.

A reversed-phase ion-pair liquid chromatographic (LC) method was developed for analysis of steam-rolled oat (SRO) baits fortified with either chlorophacinone or diphacinone. Baits were prepared with and without paraffin wax. Chlorophacinone or diphacinone was extracted from wax-free SRO baits with 5 mM tetrabutylammonium phosphate methanolic ion-pairing solution. Wax baits were initially extracted with petroleum ether and then cleaned up by liquid extraction into methanolic ion-pairing solution containing 20% water. SRO extracts were analyzed with reversed-phase ion-pair LC. Chlorophacinone and diphacinone were quantified by UV absorption at 325 nm. Recoveries from SRO fortified with chlorophacinone at 25 and 150 micrograms/g were 90.7 and 90.8%, respectively, whereas for diphacinone at the same levels, recoveries were 93.5 and 92.3%, respectively. Recoveries from wax baits fortified at 25 and 75 micrograms/g chlorophacinone were 98.5 and 100%, respectively, whereas for diphacinone at the same levels, recoveries were 93.6 and 98.0%, respectively. Method limits of detection for chlorophacinone and diphacinone in SRO baits were estimated to be 1.0 and 0.76 micrograms/g, respectively. Method limits of detection for chlorophacinone and diphacinone in wax baits were estimated to be 4.2 and 2.8 micrograms/g, respectively.

Sulfur in achondritic meteorites.

Total sulfur abundances have been measured for 48 achondrites. For twenty eucrites they ranged from 370 to 3700 micrograms S/g with a median sulfur content of 1180 micrograms S/g. Sulfur abundances for howardites ranged from 1490 to 3240 micrograms S /g and had a median sulfur concentration of 2340 micrograms S/g. Diogenites' sulfur abundances ranged from 130 to 3170 micrograms S/g, with a median value of 1280 micrograms S/g. Four shergottites had a median sulfur content of 1940 micrograms S/g and ranged from 740 to 2540 micrograms S/g. Enstatite achondrites contained the greatest sulfur abundances of any achondrite group. They ranged from 2450 to 8580 micrograms S/g and had a median sulfur content of 6020 micrograms S/g and had a median sulfur content of 6020 micrograms S/g. A single Chassignite had a sulfur concentration of 360 micrograms S/g. The wide variations in sulfur concentrations for the achondrites reflect the small scale heterogeneous nature of these unique extraterrestrial materials due in large part to discrete sulfide mineral grains.