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Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part B
Pesticides, Food Contaminants, and Agricultural Wastes
Volume 54, 2019 - Issue 6
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Articles

Occurrence of Fipronil in residential house dust in the presence and absence of pets: a hint for a comprehensive toxicological assessment

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Pages 441-448 | Published online: 26 May 2019
 

Abstract

The presence of the insecticide Fipronil and its main products of toxicological relevance, namely Sulfone and Desulfinyl, was assessed in 161 residential house dust samples in the absence (N = 101) and presence (N = 60) of cats and dogs in Italy. High-resolution mass spectrometry analysis revealed a significant difference (p < 0.001) in the dust contamination in the presence of pets (median: 467 vs. 24 ng/g dry weight), even if the highest value was found in the absence of pets (82,069 vs. 67,799 ng/g dry weight). Fipronil intake estimates from dust in toddlers, computed according to US-EPA and EU-ECHA guidelines, ranged from 333 to 556 and from 20 to 34 ng/kg per day for acute and chronic scenario, respectively. Dust seemed not able itself to lead to Fipronil overexposure with respect to acute and chronic toxicity health-based guidance values. Kittens were potentially overexposed to Fipronil under both acute (26,076 ng/kg per day) and chronic (1,633 ng/kg per day) scenarios. The mild symptomatology associated with acute intoxication could possibly determine case underreporting within pharmacosurveillance schemes. Its administration was estimated in 7.3–9.7 tons per year. Such a range suggests its prudent use under strict veterinary control to prevent pest resistance and ecotoxicological outcomes.

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank Dr. Olga Tcheremenskaia for the support in the QSAR analysis of Fipronil and its products and Prof. Marco Pietra for the availability of body weight records of pets.

Disclosure statement

Authors declare no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

The work was partially supported by the Italian Ministry of Health grant no. RF-2009-1534860 “ENVI-FOOD.”

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