The Determination of the Prohibited Herbicide 4,6-Dinitro-Ortho-Cresol (DNOC) in Poisoned Domestic and Wild Animals in Italy

TL;DR

This study found the banned herbicide DNOC in poisoned animals and baits in Italy, showing it still poses a threat to both domestic and wild animals.

Contribution

The first report of DNOC detection in poisoned animals and baits in Italy using GC-MS.

Findings

DNOC was detected in 58 out of 663 analyzed samples, including 49 poison baits and 9 gastric contents.

Poisoned animals included domestic dogs and red foxes in the Abruzzo region between 2014 and 2022.

The study highlights the need for nationwide investigations into DNOC poisoning in Italy.

Abstract

This study reported for the first time in Italy the determination of 4,6-dinitro-ortho-cresol (DNOC) in the baits and gastric contents of poisoned animals. The determination of DNOC was achieved by using gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS) with both full-scan and selected ion monitoring (SIM) modes (ion m/z values 198, 121, and 105).

This study reports the determination of DNOC in the baits and gastric contents of poisoned dogs and wild canids collected in the Abruzzo region between 2014 and 2022. A total of 663 samples of the baits and carcasses of domestic and wild animals were analyzed for the determination of DNOC through GC-MS. DNOC was found to be present in 58 cases from 663 analyzed samples, with 49 poison baits and nine gastric content samples from dogs and red foxes. This study confirms for the first time that the banned pesticide DNOC still poisons both domestic and wild animals in the Abruzzo region. It should be considered that this study was carried out on a population of animals from a regional geographical area, and more detailed country-wide studies need to be carried out to obtain the incidence of poisoning from this herbicide in Italy. Furthermore, these findings emphasize the importance of considering this chemical in differential diagnosis during toxicological investigations of animal poisoning.

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