RESUMO
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) poses a challenge in determining the optimal timing of pesticide sprays to ensure that pest populations remain below the Economic Injury Level (EIL), due to the long-term residual effects of many pesticides and the delayed responses of pest populations to pesticide sprays. To address this issue, a specific pesticide kill-rate function is incorporated into a deterministic exponential growth model and a subsequent stochastic model. The findings suggest the existence of an optimal pesticide spraying cycle that can periodically control pests below the EIL. The results regarding stochasticity indicate that random fluctuations promote pest extinction and ensure that the pest population, under the optimal cycle, does not exceed the EIL on average, even with a finite number of IPM strategies. All those confirm that the modeling approach can accurately reveal the intrinsic relationship between the two key indicators Economic Threshold and EIL in the IPM strategy, and further realize the precise characterization of the residual effect and delayed response of pesticide application.
Assuntos
Praguicidas , Praguicidas/economia , Controle de Pragas/economia , Controle de Pragas/métodos , Animais , Processos Estocásticos , Modelos Biológicos , Modelos TeóricosRESUMO
In this paper, we develop and analyze an SIS-type epidemiological-mathematical model of the interaction between pesticide use and infectious respiratory disease transmission for investigating the impact of pesticide intoxication on the spread of these types of diseases. We further investigate the role of educational treatment for appropriate pesticide use on the transmission dynamics. Two impulsive control events are proposed: pesticide use and educational treatment. From the proposed model, it was obtained that the rate of forgetfulness towards educational treatment is a determining factor for the reduction of intoxicated people, as well as for the reduction of costs associated with educational interventions. To get reduced intoxications, the population's fraction to which is necessary to apply the educational treatment depends on its individual effectiveness level and the educational treatments' forgetfulness rate. In addition, the turnover of agricultural workers plays a fundamental role in the dynamics of agrotoxic use, particularly in the application of educational treatment. For illustration, a flu-like disease with a basic reproductive number below the epidemic threshold of 1.0 is shown can acquire epidemic potential in a population at risk of pesticide exposure. Hence, our findings suggest that educational treatment targeting pesticide exposure is an effective tool to reduce the transmission rate of an infectious respiratory disease in a population exposed to the toxic substance.
Assuntos
Fazendeiros/educação , Infecções/transmissão , Modelos Teóricos , Exposição Ocupacional/efeitos adversos , Praguicidas/toxicidade , Doenças dos Trabalhadores Agrícolas/economia , Doenças dos Trabalhadores Agrícolas/epidemiologia , Humanos , Infecções/tratamento farmacológico , Praguicidas/economia , Doenças Respiratórias/tratamento farmacológico , Doenças Respiratórias/epidemiologiaRESUMO
OBJECTIVES: Suicide by pesticide self-poisoning is a major public health challenge in low- and middle-income countries. While effectiveness studies are required to test alternative prevention approaches, economic evidence is lacking to inform decision-making in research priority setting. Therefore, this study aimed to estimate the costs of a shop-based gatekeeper training programme for pesticide vendors seeking to prevent pesticide self-poisoning in rural Sri Lanka and assess its potential for cost-effectiveness. METHODS: Ex-ante cost and cost-effectiveness threshold (CET) analyses were performed from a governmental perspective based on a three-year analytic horizon, using 'no programme' as a comparator. A programme model targeting all 535 pesticide shops in the North Central Province and border areas was applied. Total programme costs (TPC) were estimated in 2019 USD using an ingredients approach and 3% annual discounting. The Sri Lankan gross domestic product per capita and life years saved were used as CET and effectiveness measure, respectively. Sensitivity analyses were performed. RESULTS: TPC were estimated at 31 603.03 USD. TPC were sensitive to cost changes of training material and equipment and the programme lifetime. The programme needs to prevent an estimated 0.23 fatal pesticide self-poisoning cases over three years to be considered cost-effective. In the sensitivity analyses, the highest number of fatal cases needed to be prevented to obtain cost-effectiveness was 4.55 over three years. CONCLUSIONS: From an economic perspective, the programme has a very high potential to be cost-effective. Research assessing its effectiveness should therefore be completed, and research analysing its transferability to other settings prioritised.
OBJECTIFS: Le suicide par auto-intoxication par les pesticides est un défi majeur de santé publique dans les pays à revenu faible ou intermédiaire. Bien que des études d'efficacité soient nécessaires pour tester d'autres approches de prévention, les données économiques manquent pour informer la prise de décision dans les priorités de recherche. Par conséquent, cette étude visait à estimer les coûts d'un programme de formation des vendeurs dans les magasins de pesticides visant à prévenir l'auto-intoxication par les pesticides dans les régions rurales du Sri Lanka et à évaluer son potentiel de rentabilité. MÉTHODES: Les analyses ex-ante des coûts et des seuils de rentabilité (SR) ont été réalisées dans une perspective gouvernementale sur la base d'un horizon analytique de trois ans, en utilisant «l'absence de programme¼ comme comparateur. Un modèle de programme ciblant les 535 magasins de pesticides de la province du Centre-Nord et des zones frontalières a été appliqué. Les coûts totaux du programme (CTP) ont été estimés en USD 2019 en utilisant une approche d'ingrédients et une remise annuelle de 3%. Le produit intérieur brut sri-lankais par habitant et les années de vie sauvées ont été utilisés comme SR et mesure d'efficacité, respectivement. Des analyses de sensibilité ont été effectuées. RÉSULTATS: le CTP a été estimé à 31.603,03 USD. Le CTP était sensible aux changements de coût du matériel et de l'équipement de formation et de la durée de vie du programme. Le programme devrait prévenir environ 0,23 cas d'auto-intoxication mortelle par des pesticide sur trois ans pour être considéré comme rentable. Dans les analyses de sensibilité, le plus grand nombre de cas mortels à prévenir pour obtenir une rentabilité était de 4,55 sur trois ans. CONCLUSIONS: D'un point de vue économique, le programme a un potentiel très élevé pour être rentable. La recherche évaluant son efficacité doit donc être complétée et la recherche analysant sa transférabilité à d'autres contextes doit être priorisée.
Assuntos
Comércio , Educação/economia , Controle de Acesso/economia , Praguicidas/intoxicação , Tentativa de Suicídio/prevenção & controle , Análise Custo-Benefício , Humanos , Praguicidas/economia , População Rural , Sri LankaRESUMO
OBJECTIVE: In South Asia, up to one in five individuals who ingest pesticides for self-poisoning and survive purchased them from a shop immediately prior to the event. Thus far, no research has taken place to determine whether interventions implemented through the pesticide sellers might be acceptable or effective, despite the hundreds of thousands of such risk purchases each year. We aimed to investigate factors associated with purchasing pesticides for self-poisoning in Sri Lanka. METHODS: We used a case-control study. Cases (n = 50) were individuals who ingested pesticides after purchasing them for the act, and controls (n = 200) were customers who bought pesticides but did not use them for self-harm. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess socio-demographic and purchase-specific risk factors. RESULTS: Alcohol intoxication (adjusted odds ratios [AOR] 36.5, 95% confidence intervals [CI] 1.7-783.4) and being a non-farmer AOR 13.3, 95% CI 1.8-99.6 were the main distinguishing factors when purchasing pesticides for self-poisoning. The positive predictive values were 93.3% (95% CI 68.0-99.8%) and 88.2% (95% CI 72.5-96.7%), respectively. One and/or other of these factors characterised 72.0% of cases but only 2.5% controls. CONCLUSION: While results need to be interpreted cautiously, sales restrictions to prevent alcohol-intoxicated persons and non-farmers purchasing pesticides for self-poisoning may be effective.
OBJECTIF: En Asie du Sud, jusqu'à une personne sur cinq qui ingère des pesticides pour s'autointoxiquer et survi les a achetés dans un magasin immédiatement avant l'événement. Jusqu'à présent, aucune recherche n'a eu lieu pour déterminer si les interventions mises en Åuvre chez les vendeurs de pesticides pourraient être acceptables ou efficaces, malgré les centaines de milliers d'achats à risque chaque année. Nous visions à étudier les facteurs associés à l'achat de pesticides pour l'autointoxication au Sri Lanka. MÉTHODES: Nous avons utilisé une étude castémoins. Les cas (n = 50) étaient des personnes qui avaient ingéré des pesticides après les avoir achetés pour l'acte et les témoins (n = 200) étaient des clients qui achetaient des pesticides mais ne les utilisaient pas pour se faire du mal. Une analyse de régression logistique a été utilisée pour évaluer les facteurs de risque sociodémographiques et spécifiques à l'achat. RÉSULTATS: L'intoxication alcoolique (rapport de cotes ajusté [AOR] 36,5, intervalles de confiance à 95% [IC] 1,7783,4) et étant un nonagriculteur AOR 13,3 ; IC95%: 1,899,6 étaient les principaux facteurs distinctifs lors de l'achat de pesticides pour l'autointoxication. Les valeurs prédictives positives étaient respectivement de 93,3% (IC95%: 68,0% 99,8%) et 88,2% (IC95%: 72,5% 96,7%). L'un et/ou l'autre de ces facteurs caractérisaient 72,0% des cas mais seulement 2,5% des témoins. CONCLUSION: Bien que les résultats doivent être interprétés avec prudence, des restrictions de vente visant à empêcher les personnes intoxiquées à l'alcool et les nonagriculteurs d'acheter des pesticides pour l'autointoxication peuvent être efficaces.
Assuntos
Comércio , Comportamento do Consumidor , Praguicidas/intoxicação , Tentativa de Suicídio/prevenção & controle , Adulto , Estudos de Casos e Controles , Feminino , Humanos , Entrevistas como Assunto , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Praguicidas/economia , Análise de Regressão , Fatores de Risco , Sri Lanka , Tentativa de Suicídio/psicologiaRESUMO
Background: Pesticide self-poisoning as a method of suicide is a major global health problem.Objectives: To estimate the cost and per patient cost of treating pesticide self-poisoning at different hospital levels in a Sri Lankan district, and to examine the distribution of cost components. Another objective was to investigate changes in total cost of treatment of pesticide poisoning for all causes at different administrative levels in Sri Lanka in 2005 and 2015.Methods: The economic framework was a costing analysis, adopting a government perspective. Cost data were collected prospectively over a 4-month period in 2016 for patients admitted for pesticide self-poisoning to six hospitals in the Anuradhapura District. Assumption-based scenario analyses were run to determine changes in total pesticide poisoning treatment costs.Results: We included 67 self-poisoned patients in the study. The total cost of treatment was US$ 5,714 at an average treatment cost of US$ 85.3 (9.7-286.6) per patient (across all hospital levels). Hospital costs constituted 67% of the total cost for treating self-poisoning cases and patient-specific costs accounted for 29%. Direct cost of patient hospital transfer constituted the smallest share of costs (4%) but accounted for almost half of the total costs at primary level. The estimated total cost of treating all causes of pesticide poisoning in Sri Lanka was US$ 2.5 million or 0.19% of the total government health expenditure (GHE) in 2015.Conclusion: Our findings indicate that the average per patient cost of pesticide self-poisoning treatment has increased while the total cost of pesticide poisoning treatment as a percentage of the total GHE in Sri Lanka has declined over the past decade. A continuous focus on banning the most hazardous pesticides available would likely further drive down the cost of pesticide self-poisoning and pesticide poisoning to the government.
Assuntos
Financiamento Governamental/economia , Financiamento Governamental/estatística & dados numéricos , Custos de Cuidados de Saúde/estatística & dados numéricos , Praguicidas/economia , Praguicidas/intoxicação , Suicídio/economia , Suicídio/estatística & dados numéricos , Adulto , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Sri Lanka , Adulto JovemRESUMO
Although chemical pesticide use has increased agricultural productivity, it has caused adverse effects on human health and the environment. For example, pesticide exposure may result in the incidence of a human health condition (e.g., heart disease, immune disorders, cancer, and damaged skin) and it can pollute air, water, and soil conditions and damage biodiversity. Mitigating the negative externalities associated with pesticide use is essential to improve human health and environmental performance. In this study, we are trying to explore whether farm machine use reduces pesticide expenditure by analyzing farm household survey data collected from 493 maize farmers in China. An endogenous switching regression model is employed to address the sample selection bias issue associated with voluntary farm machine use. The empirical results reveal that farm machine use exerts a negative and statistically significant impact on pesticide expenditure. The findings highlight the important role of farm machines in helping reduce pesticide expenditure, which is, in turn, beneficial for improving human health conditions and environmental performance.
Assuntos
Agricultura/estatística & dados numéricos , Praguicidas/economia , Zea mays , Adulto , China , Feminino , Humanos , Incidência , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-IdadeRESUMO
In Palestine, open dumping and/or burning the waste, including agricultural waste, are prevalent practices resulting in emitting leachate and acidifying greenhouse gases. Composting the agricultural waste can reduce emissions and provide 'compost' as an organic fertilizer and soil amendment; yet, it has not been implemented at the national level. To develop a local marketing strategy for compost, this study views a need to identify farmers' perceptions and willingness of compost production and use in agriculture and examine various socioeconomic, agricultural, and individual factors shaping them. The case of Wadi al-Far'a watershed (WFW) is investigated, where farmers practice inappropriate waste disposal and overuse of agrochemicals. A semi-structured questionnaire is administered to 409 farmers through face-to-face interviews. Descriptive statistics, bivariate analyses, Chi-square test, and binary logistic regression are used for data analysis. High acceptance level (84%) is disclosed among farmers in WFW for the hypothetical idea of producing and using compost. Farmers also have high, yet lower, willingness level (63.6%) of the more salient option of producing compost themselves and using it in agriculture. Tenure systems, large cultivated areas, rainfed irrigation, and lack of access to training sessions inhibit farmers' acceptance of the idea of compost production (overall p value = 0.000). Large cultivated areas and rainfed irrigation is also associated with farmers' unwillingness to produce compost, besides high household monthly income, animal or mixed animal-plant farming, experience in compost production, and use of pesticides (overall p value = 0.000).
Assuntos
Compostagem/economia , Monitoramento Ambiental/economia , Fazendeiros/psicologia , Fazendas/economia , Poluição da Água/economia , Animais , Fertilizantes/economia , Humanos , Oriente Médio , Praguicidas/economia , Eliminação de Resíduos/economia , Percepção Social , Fatores Socioeconômicos , Solo/química , Inquéritos e Questionários , Poluição da Água/prevenção & controleRESUMO
Pests and diseases are a continuous challenge in agriculture production. A wide range of control strategies have been and will continue to be developed. New control strategies are in almost all countries around the world assessed prior to approval for use in farmers' fields. This is rightly so to avoid and even reduce negative effects for human health and the environment. Over the past decades the approval processes have become increasingly politicized resulting in an increase in the direct approval costs and the length in approval time without increasing the safety of the final product. This reduces the development of control strategies and often has negative human health and environmental effects. Possibilities exist for improvements. They include reducing approval costs and approval time by streamlining the approval process and substituting approval requirements by strengthening ex-post liability. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.
Assuntos
Controle de Pragas/economia , Controle de Pragas/legislação & jurisprudência , Praguicidas/economia , Praguicidas/normas , Agricultura/economia , Agricultura/legislação & jurisprudência , Animais , Controle de Doenças Transmissíveis/economia , Controle de Doenças Transmissíveis/legislação & jurisprudência , União Europeia , Organismos Geneticamente Modificados , Controle Biológico de Vetores/economia , Controle Biológico de Vetores/legislação & jurisprudência , PlantasRESUMO
Recent research has suggested that a high proportion of farms can dramatically reduce pesticide applications without reducing crop yields or farm profits. Yet this research has made estimation choices that may systematically bias downwards estimates of the productivity and profitability of pesticides. Fifty years of agricultural economics research provides lessons about how to avoid pitfalls in estimating pesticide productivity. Carefully executed econometric studies have found evidence of overuse, underuse, and near-optimal use of pesticides in different cropping systems. There are now standard methods to test and correct for sources of biases (either upward or downward) in estimates of pesticide productivity. Ignoring these lessons and methods can seriously bias estimates of the potential for reducing pesticide use at little or no economic cost. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.
Assuntos
Agricultura/estatística & dados numéricos , Praguicidas , Agricultura/economia , Animais , Praguicidas/economia , RiscoRESUMO
Market presence of illegal and counterfeit pesticides is now a global problem. According to data published in 2012 by the European Crop Protection Association (ECPA), illegal products represent over 10% of the global market of plant protection products. Financial benefits are the main reason for the prevalence of this practice. Counterfeit and illegal pesticides may contain substances that may pose a threat to the environment, crops, animals, and humans, inconsistent with the label and registration dossier. In Poland, action against illegal and counterfeit plant protection products is undertaken by the Main Inspectorate of Plant Health and Seed Inspection (PIORiN), the police, the prosecution, and the pesticide producers. Results of chemical analyses carried out by the Institute of Plant Protection - National Research Institute Sosnicowice Branch, Pesticide Quality Testing Laboratory (PQTL IPP-NRI Sosnicowice Branch) indicate that a majority of illegal pesticides in Poland are detected in the group of herbicides. Products from parallel trade tend to have the most irregularities. This article describes the official quality control system of plant protection products in Poland and presents the analytical methods for testing pesticides suspected of adulteration and recent test results.
Assuntos
Contaminação de Medicamentos/legislação & jurisprudência , Praguicidas/química , Animais , Produtos Agrícolas/química , Produtos Agrícolas/efeitos dos fármacos , Produtos Agrícolas/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Contaminação de Medicamentos/economia , Contaminação de Medicamentos/prevenção & controle , Contaminação de Alimentos/análise , Humanos , Gado/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Praguicidas/economia , PolôniaRESUMO
This study aimed to estimate farmers' willingness to pay (WTP) for health risk reductions of pesticide use by applying the contingent valuation method (CVM) and to explore the factors that influence farmers' WTP in China. In total, 244 farmers were randomly selected and interviewed. The mean WTP was estimated to be $65.38 (0.94% of total household income) per household per year for a 5/10,000 reduction in morbidity risk. This study shows that farmers' socioeconomic and attitudinal factors that significantly affect their WTP include farmers' farming income, education, household size and risk perceptions. In particular, the results demonstrate that respondents' social trust, social reciprocity and social networks have significant impacts on their WTP. The findings of this study can provide useful insights for policy makers to design effective policies to address health problems related to pesticide use in the developing world.
Assuntos
Agricultura/economia , Fazendeiros/psicologia , Fazendeiros/estatística & dados numéricos , Exposição Ocupacional/economia , Exposição Ocupacional/prevenção & controle , Praguicidas/economia , Comportamento de Redução do Risco , Adulto , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , China , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Fatores SocioeconômicosAssuntos
Agricultura/métodos , Agricultura/tendências , Automação/métodos , Tecnologia de Sensoriamento Remoto/métodos , Robótica/métodos , Matadouros , Agricultura/instrumentação , Agroquímicos/efeitos adversos , Agroquímicos/economia , Agroquímicos/provisão & distribuição , Doenças dos Animais/diagnóstico , Doenças dos Animais/prevenção & controle , Criação de Animais Domésticos/economia , Criação de Animais Domésticos/instrumentação , Criação de Animais Domésticos/métodos , Criação de Animais Domésticos/tendências , Animais , Automação/economia , Automação/instrumentação , Alarmes Clínicos/veterinária , Produção Agrícola/economia , Produção Agrícola/instrumentação , Produção Agrícola/métodos , Produção Agrícola/tendências , Percepção de Profundidade , Frutas/economia , Frutas/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Frutas/normas , Lasers , Gado , Aprendizado de Máquina , Aplicativos Móveis , Monitorização Fisiológica/instrumentação , Monitorização Fisiológica/métodos , Monitorização Fisiológica/veterinária , Praguicidas/efeitos adversos , Praguicidas/economia , Praguicidas/provisão & distribuição , Doenças das Plantas/prevenção & controle , Plantas Daninhas/efeitos dos fármacos , Controle de Qualidade , Tecnologia de Sensoriamento Remoto/economia , Tecnologia de Sensoriamento Remoto/instrumentação , Tecnologia de Sensoriamento Remoto/tendências , Robótica/economia , Robótica/instrumentação , Robótica/tendências , Solo/química , Solo/normas , Transferência de Tecnologia , Fatores de Tempo , Verduras/economia , Verduras/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Verduras/normasRESUMO
Glycolipids, consisting of a carbohydrate moiety linked to fatty acids, are microbial surface active compounds produced by various microorganisms. They are characterized by high structural diversity and have the ability to decrease the surface and interfacial tension at the surface and interface, respectively. Rhamnolipids, trehalolipids, mannosylerythritol lipids and cellobiose lipids are among the most popular glycolipids. They have received much practical attention as biopesticides for controlling plant diseases and protecting stored products. As a result of their antifungal activity towards phytopathogenic fungi and larvicidal and mosquitocidal potencies, glycolipid biosurfactants permit the preservation of plants and plant crops from pest invasion. Also, as a result of their emulsifying and antibacterial activities, glycolipids have great potential as food additives and food preservatives. Furthermore, the valorization of food byproducts via the production of glycolipid biosurfactant has received much attention because it permits the bioconversion of byproducts on valuable compounds and decreases the cost of production. Generally, the use of glycolipids in many fields requires their retention from fermentation media. Accordingly, different strategies have been developed to extract and purify glycolipids. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.
Assuntos
Agroquímicos/química , Agentes de Controle Biológico/química , Aditivos Alimentares/química , Glicolipídeos/química , Resíduos Industriais/análise , Tensoativos/química , Agroquímicos/economia , Agroquímicos/isolamento & purificação , Agroquímicos/metabolismo , Animais , Biodegradação Ambiental , Agentes de Controle Biológico/economia , Agentes de Controle Biológico/isolamento & purificação , Agentes de Controle Biológico/metabolismo , Fenômenos Químicos , Produtos Agrícolas/efeitos dos fármacos , Produtos Agrícolas/economia , Produtos Agrícolas/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Produtos Agrícolas/imunologia , Fermentação , Aditivos Alimentares/economia , Aditivos Alimentares/isolamento & purificação , Aditivos Alimentares/metabolismo , Conservantes de Alimentos/química , Conservantes de Alimentos/economia , Conservantes de Alimentos/isolamento & purificação , Conservantes de Alimentos/metabolismo , Indústria de Processamento de Alimentos/economia , Fungos/química , Fungos/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Fungos/metabolismo , Glicolipídeos/economia , Glicolipídeos/isolamento & purificação , Glicolipídeos/metabolismo , Bactérias Gram-Negativas/química , Bactérias Gram-Negativas/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Bactérias Gram-Negativas/metabolismo , Bactérias Gram-Positivas/química , Bactérias Gram-Positivas/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Bactérias Gram-Positivas/metabolismo , Humanos , Resíduos Industriais/economia , Praguicidas/química , Praguicidas/economia , Praguicidas/isolamento & purificação , Praguicidas/metabolismo , Imunidade Vegetal/efeitos dos fármacos , Tensoativos/economia , Tensoativos/isolamento & purificação , Tensoativos/metabolismoRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Pesticide use in the Indian cotton industry has decreased with the introduction of Bt cotton, but rates are still high in comparison with other countries. The adoption of alternative strategies, such as integrated pest management, has been slow, even though benefits are potentially high, more so if the full costs of the external effects of the technologies are taken into account. In order to estimate true societal benefits of different strategies, we compare their external costs and economic performance under external cost taxation, using a state-of-the-art partial equilibrium model of the Indian agricultural sector. RESULTS: Pesticide externalities lower social welfare in the Indian cotton sector by $US 400-2200 million, depending on the technologies employed. A full internalisation reduces producer revenues by $US 100 ha-1 if only Bt cotton is used, and by $US 30 ha-1 if IPM is another option. Consumers do not start to lose surplus until 20-70% are internalised, and losses are smaller if all technologies are available. CONCLUSION: External pesticide costs can be internalised partially without substantially affecting consumer surplus while still increasing social welfare, but producers need to have access to and the knowledge to employ all available cotton production technologies to minimise losses. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.
Assuntos
Produtos Agrícolas/economia , Gossypium , Praguicidas/economia , Seguridade Social , Impostos/economia , Custos e Análise de Custo , Gossypium/genética , Humanos , Índia , Plantas Geneticamente ModificadasRESUMO
Introduced brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) and rat species (Rattus spp.) are major vertebrate pests in New Zealand, with impacts on conservation and agriculture being managed largely through poisoning operations. Aerial distribution of baits containing sodium fluoroacetate (1080) has been refined to maximise cost effectiveness and minimise environmental impact, but this method is strongly opposed by some as it is perceived as being indiscriminate. Although ground based control enables precise placement of baits, operations are often more than twice as costly as aerial control, mainly due to the high labour costs. We investigated a new approach to ground based control that combined aerial distribution of non-toxic 'prefeed' baits followed by sparse distribution of toxic baits at regular intervals along the GPS tracked prefeeding flight paths. This approach was tested in two field trials in which both 1080 baits and cholecalciferol baits were used in separate areas. Effectiveness of the approach, assessed primarily using 'chewcards', was compared with that of scheduled aerial 1080 operations that were conducted in outlying areas of both trials. Contractors carrying out ground based control were able to follow the GPS tracks of aerial prefeeding flight lines very accurately, and with 1080 baits achieved very high levels of kill of possums and rats similar to those achieved by aerial 1080 baiting. Cholecalciferol was less effective in the first trial, but by doubling the amount of cholecalciferol bait used in the second trial, few possums or rats survived. By measuring the time taken to complete ground baiting from GPS tracks, we predicted that the method (using 1080 baits) would be similarly cost effective to aerial 1080 operations for controlling possums and rats, and considerably less expensive than typical current costs of ground based control. The main limitations to the use of the method will be access to, and size of, the operational site, along with topography and vegetation density.
Assuntos
Fluoracetatos/toxicidade , Espécies Introduzidas , Controle de Pragas , Praguicidas/toxicidade , Venenos , Trichosurus , Animais , Aviação , Fluoracetatos/economia , Masculino , Nova Zelândia , Praguicidas/economia , RatosRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Acute poisonings particularly through pesticides have become a major public health concern in Albania during the last decade. FINDINGS: The number of fatalities due to aluminum phosphide intoxications was more than doubled during a five year-period from 2009 to 2013, and a cluster of suicides perpetrated with Phostoxin was registered. Several factors are accountable for such a phenomenon, including the fact that aluminum phosphide agents are freely available in the Albanian market, their price is extremely low and they are sold without any legal restriction. The mass media unfortunately warranted an emulating effect to dramatic intoxications, which gained by such means the notoriety of a secure lethal weapon. CONCLUSIONS: Our experience with more than three hundred intoxications with aluminum phosphide agents in the last five years, showed that a considerable delay from the moment of exposure (mainly through ingestion) to specialized medical help seeking, created a considerable obstacle for a successful treatment of cases, and eventually for the survival of patients. The lack of a specific antidote adds further challenges to all these exposures. The need for public health policies aiming at prevention, awareness, and possibly the substitution of Phostoxin or other aluminum phosphide pesticides with less dangerous agents is formulated.