Biocide Potency and Efficacy

Risk reduction for human health and the environment

Who needs it?

Rodenticide manufacturers and rodenticide R&D/development companies. Pharmaceutical, agriculture and biotechnology companies where the use of biocides may have an impact on human health or the environment

Why do they need it?

Guidelines for registering a rodenticide may stipulate the requirements, and there may be no practical alternative methods to test using target species
 

When do they need it?

Efficacy testing of a newly-developed rodenticide is essential in the early stages of product development. Bait palatability is a key consideration - if the target species won't eat it, it will be an unusable product

classifying substances via acute oral toxicity testing for their toxicity in our labs

In Vivo biocide potency and efficacy testing involves evaluating the effectiveness of biocides in living organisms or animals to assess potential toxicity and determine the minimum concentration of biocide required to achieve the desired effect.

Hoeford Research currently focuses on rodenticide testing and is licensed to assess non-active ingredients for palatability, and active ingredients in either bait trials or as an orally-dosed test substance.

This type of testing involves exposing live rodents, such as rats or mice, to various concentrations of the rodenticide and monitoring the effect on their behaviour, health and mortality rates.

In Vivo rodenticide potency and efficacy testing is important for ensuring that rodenticides are effective at controlling rodent populations and reducing the risks of rodent-related issues.

How is it done?

Acute Oral Toxicity (OECD 423)

  • Allows substances to be classified according to the Globally Harmonised System for classification of chemicals which cause toxicity
  • Determines defined exposure ranges where lethality is expected
     

Liver Analysis (Acute Oral Toxicity)

  • A solution is administered orally for 3 days, to mimic ingestion by animals in their natural environment
  • Absent clinical signs, Prothrombin Time tests are carried out by test strip analysis of blood to measure anticoagulant effect
  • At the end of the test the liver is sent for analysis for traces of rodenticide still present
     

Potency Testing of Active Ingredients

  • Designed to target lethal endpoints after oral dosing
  • 5 dose groups at various levels of toxicity
  • Optimum dose should cause mortality in >90% of the animals in 3-7 days
     

Efficacy Testing/Bait Choice Feeding Trials (European Submissions)

  • 12 animals of the intended target species
  • After normal feeding is established (3-5 days) animals enter test period of 3-5 days with two bait pots - one with test product and the other with standard lab diet.
  • Animals are then returned to normal diet for 9-11 days and signs of toxicity or mortality are recorded
  • Test can also be done without active ingredient allowing for animals to be re-used

     

 Safety and Quality Control

Back to Custom In Vivo Toxicology Testing

Toxin and Antitoxin Testing