Determination of Whole-Body Rotenone Residues in the Brown Tree Snake (Boiga irregularis)

• Published in: Journal of agricultural and food chemistry Vol. 48; no. 6; pp. 2240 - 2243
• Main Authors: Mauldin, Richard E, Furcolow, Carol A, Johnston, John J, Kimball, Bruce A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 01.06.2000
• Subjects: Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Applied ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Chromatography - methods; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid - methods; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Guam; Medically important nuisances and vectors, pests of stored products and materials: population survey and control; Nuisances; Pesticide Residues - analysis; Reproducibility of Results; Rotenone - analogs & derivatives; Rotenone - analysis; Sensitivity and Specificity; Snakes; Terrestrial environment, soil, air; Guam; Micronesia; Mariana Islands; Oceania; Solid phase extraction; Insecticide; Pesticides; HPLC chromatography; Natural product; Noxious animal; Boiga irregularis; Flavonoid; Venomous; Ophidia; Vertebrata; Sensitivity; Analysis method; Pest management; Residue; Detection limit; Reptilia; Whole body; Measurement accuracy; Predator; Damage; Botanical pesticide
• ISSN: 0021-8561; 1520-5118
• DOI: 10.1021/jf980753t

The brown tree snake (Boiga irregularis) is an introduced pest in Guam, responsible for extensive agricultural damage, the extinction of several bird species, and severe and frequent electrical power outages. Rotenone, a naturally occurring pesticide, has been investigated as a possible chemical control agent. An analytical method was developed to assess whole body rotenone residues ranging in concentration from 0.035 to 250 μg g-1 in snakes. The method employed ethyl acetate extraction of 2 g samples of cryogenically frozen, pulverized snakes, followed by silica and Florisil solid-phase extraction cleanup. Extract analysis was performed using a high-performance liquid chromatography system employing a cyanopropyl analytical column. Tissues fortified to concentrations of 0.035, 4.82, and 250 μg g-1 yielded analyte recoveries of 85.1, 85.6, and 83.5%, respectively. The linear response of rotenone standard solutions was assessed from 0.025 to 0.25 μg mL-1 (r 2 = 0.9968) and from 0.250 to 125 μg mL-1 (r 2 = 0.9999). The method was simple, rugged, and reliable. Keywords: Rotenone; brown tree snake; Boiga irregularis; high-performance liquid chromatography; solid-phase extraction