Pindone

Abstract: A quick and easy method for the analysis of anticoagulant rodenticides in blood or tissue using principles of dispersive solidphase extraction (dSPE), commonly known as QuEChERS (short for quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe), was developed. Briefly, a combination of magnesium sulfate, PSA, florisil, and basic alumina was used to cleanup blood samples. Further, to clean up liver tissue samples, C 18 sorbent was included along with the previously mentioned.The samples were analyzed using highperformance liquid chromatography equipped with a reversedphase C 18 column (150  4.6 mm, 5-µm particle size) and a UV and fluorescence detector.The mobile phase consisted of 0.03 M tetrabutylammonium hydroxide (TBA) adjusted to pH 7/methanol (1:1, v/v) as solvent A and methanol as solvent B in a gradient run.The method detection limit was as low as 10 ng/mL for brodifacoum and difenacoum in blood and 10 ng/g in liver; 50 ng/mL for bromadiolone, difethialone, and chlorphacinone in blood and similarly 50 ng/g in liver; and 100 ng/mL for coumafuryl, pindone, warfarin, and diphacinone in blood and 100 ng/g in liver samples. A number of clinical samples of both blood and liver were analyzed; the comparison of this modified QuEChERS and traditional solid-phase extraction data was found to be in close agreement.This method resulted in drastic reduction in processing time and solvent cost both in terms of consumption and disposal, thus making it an attractive alternative to the traditional solid-phase extraction.

Abstract: Two types of oat grain bait, one containing 1080 (sodium monofluoroacetate) and the other pindone (2-pivalyl-1,3-indandione) were tested in south-western Australia for effectiveness in rabbit control. No significant difference was found between the performances of the two poisons in the dry summer. 1080 was more effective in summer than in the wet winter, whereas the difference in seasonal performance of pindone was not significant. The most likely reason for this is that 1080, unlike pindone, is readily soluble in water. The above trials of 1080 poison (made in 1971-75) were then compared with earlier trials, undertaken in 1958-62; this comparison suggests a marked decline in the effectiveness of poison baiting in Western Australia. Selection for neophobia in rabbit populations is suggested as a possible cause of this decline.

Abstract: The effect of the anticoagulant, pindone, on the breeding performance and survival of relatively free-ranging merino sheep was assessed. Pindone (2-pivalyl-1, 3-indandione) was administered orally as a single (10, 3, or 2 mg pindone kg−1 over three consecutive days) or multiple exposure (dosing regime repeated after a further 8 days). Prothrombin times (PT) increased up to 4-fold in treated sheep, and haemorrhage occurred in some instances, particularly with the double dose treatment. Deaths of sheep also occurred, usually when the sheep were placed under added stress, particularly that associated with shearing. The breeding performance of pregnant ewes dosed with pindone was reduced, mainly due to an increase in stillborn and nonviable lambs (i.e. deaths within 2 days of birth). The motility of sperm in treated rams was also affected. Pindone persisted in the blood (maximum, 13.2 mg L−1) for up to 14 days after the last dose, and the half-life (t1/2) was estimated at ∼5 days depending upon the dosing regime. Other tissue residues ranged from 17 (fat) to 39 (liver) mg kg−1. The implications of these findings for ongoing responsible use of pindone (anticoagulants) in pest control programs are also discussed.

Abstract: Measurement of indandione rodenticides is important in the diagnosis and treatment of accidental rodenticide ingestion. Current assays lack effective measurements for simultaneous analysis of the indandiones, especially the isomers. The intent of this study was to establish a novel and selective method for the simultaneous determination of indandione-type rodenticides (diphacinone, chlorophacinone, valone, and pindone) in human serum by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry. After addition of internal standard, the sample was extracted with 10% methanol in acetonitrile and cleaned by solid-phase extraction (SPE). The analytes were separated on a C(18) rapid column and infused into an ion trap mass spectrometer in the negative electrospray ionization mode. The multiple-reaction monitoring ion pairs were m/z 339 --> 167, m/z 373 --> 201, m/z 229 --> 145, m/z 229 --> 172, and m/z 307 --> 161 for diphacinone, chlorophacinone, valone, pindone, and IS, respectively. Recoveries were between 81.5 and 94.6%, and the limits of quantification were 0.2 to 0.5 ng/mL. Intra- and interday RSDs were less than 7.9 and 11.5%, respectively. The assay was linear in the range of 0.5-100.0 ng/mL with coefficients of determination (r(2) > 0.99) for all analytes. The proposed method enables the unambiguous confirmation and quantification of the indandiones in both clinical and forensic specimens.