Determination of pesticides in dead wild birds in Korea

Kim, MeeKyung; Yun, Seon Jong; Kim, Dong-Gyu; Bong, Young-Hoon; Kim, Heuijin; Jang, Jung-Hee; Chung, Gab-Soo

Korean Journal of Veterinary Research 2008;48(2):131-137.

MeeKyung Kim, Seon Jong Yun, Dong-Gyu Kim, Young-Hoon Bong, Heuijin Kim, Jung-Hee Jang, Gab-Soo Chung

National Veterinary Research and Quarantine Service

우리나라 폐사 야생조류에서의 농약 분석

김미경, 윤선종, 김동규, 봉영훈, 김희진, 장정희, 정갑수

국립수의과학검역원

Abstract

Pesticides are extensively used for the control of crop pests in agriculture and forestry. Organophosphate (OP) and carbamate pesticides are especially effective for the control of a variety of harmful insects. However, these cholinesterase inhibitors are also dangerous to non-target organisms (wildlife and other animals) because of their high acute toxicity. Most poisonings by pesticides occur as a result of misuse or accidental exposure, but intentional killing of unwanted animals also occurs. At the request of a local autonomous entity, we investigated wild bird poisonings by pesticides from 2003 to 2007. The 207 suspicious samples of pesticide poisoning based on the necropsy were analyzed by GC/NPD, GC/FPD, or GC/MSD. We looked for trends in the identification of pesticides in wild birds thought to have died from poisoning. Pesticides were determined in 59% of the total samples analyzed. Phosphamidon and monochrotophos were the most common pesticides identified, which amounted to 77% of the subtotal. Other OP and carbamate pesticides were also found in various concentrations from dead wild birds. The determined rates of pesticides were as high as 86% and 76% in 2003 and 2006, respectively, during an outbreak of avian influenza in Korea.

Key Words: monocrotophos, pesticide, phosphamidon, poison, wild birds