In moist, damp environments it disintegrates rapidly within a period of 2 weeks to 3 months. This is because 1080 poison is known to dilute quickly due it’s solubility in water. When exposed to dry environments, it is viable that the poison could last for up to six months before decomposing. Research has shown that 1080 poison is degraded by micro-organisms in the soil, through the process in which the fluorine atom of fluoracetate is removed enzymatically. The enzyme intervenes and ultimately innocuous (non-toxic) products remain. The poison has the tendency to remain in the body tissue and bones of dead animals and so can result in secondary poisoning when other animals feed on it, even after putrefying. As a way to prevent the poisoning of non-targeted animals, the producers of 1080 poison suggest burying all poisoned animals, but due to New Zealand’s widespread aerial distribution of 1080, The Department of Conservation doesn’t comply with this standard. The biodegradability of this poison, and the affordability and efficiency of its distribution has caused New Zealand to be such proportionally large users of the
In moist, damp environments it disintegrates rapidly within a period of 2 weeks to 3 months. This is because 1080 poison is known to dilute quickly due it’s solubility in water. When exposed to dry environments, it is viable that the poison could last for up to six months before decomposing. Research has shown that 1080 poison is degraded by micro-organisms in the soil, through the process in which the fluorine atom of fluoracetate is removed enzymatically. The enzyme intervenes and ultimately innocuous (non-toxic) products remain. The poison has the tendency to remain in the body tissue and bones of dead animals and so can result in secondary poisoning when other animals feed on it, even after putrefying. As a way to prevent the poisoning of non-targeted animals, the producers of 1080 poison suggest burying all poisoned animals, but due to New Zealand’s widespread aerial distribution of 1080, The Department of Conservation doesn’t comply with this standard. The biodegradability of this poison, and the affordability and efficiency of its distribution has caused New Zealand to be such proportionally large users of the