Abstract

A simple rapid microbial bioassay for sodium fluoroacetate (Compound 1080) in biological materials and soil is described. The technique measures 1080 directly and only requires basic microbiological laboratory facilities and equipment. It greatly simplfies the analyses of 1080 in bait materials such as oat grains and meat. Some suggested applications of the bioassay are quality control of manufactured baits, the measurement of the toxic lifespan of baits exposed to a range of environmental conditions in the field, and the design and evaluation of new bait types.