Naturally occurring enhancer of metal toxicants in molluscs

Details Naturally occurring enhancer of metal toxicants in molluscs Naturally occurring enhancer of metal toxicants in molluscs

1999-02-01

2002-03-05

Levy, Neil S. (Department: 1616)

Drug, bio-affecting and body treating compositions

Preparations characterized by special physical form

Biocides; animal or insect repellents or attractants

C424S405000, C424S407000, C424S604000, C424S630000, C424S631000, C424S632000, C424S638000, C424S641000, C424S646000, C424S685000, C514S494000, C514S499000, C514S500000, C514S502000, C514S566000, C514S574000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06352706

ABSTRACT:

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH
Not applicable.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to pest control compounds and, more particularly, to compositions effective to control pest molluscs by enhancing the effectiveness of metal poison absorption in molluscs.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Terrestrial pulmonate gastropods such as slugs and snails are significant plant pests that affect commercial agriculture and horticulture and domestic gardens. These organisms are omnivorous and consume large amounts of vegetative material during their daily foraging. Consequently, they can seriously damage vegetable gardens and even plant crops during all phases of the growing cycle. Because of their destructive potential, control measures must be used to ensure adequate protection of the growing plants.
Aquatic molluscs, including the fresh water snails Bulinsu sp., Bulinus, Biomphalaria, and Oncomeania, and vectors of parasitic worms (e.g., Schistosoma), are also pests. Aquatic molluscs are controlled by a number of synthetic and botanical compounds.
Terrestrial pulmonate gastropods and aquatic molluscs are collectively referred to herein as “molluscs.”
A wide variety of approaches have been used to combat pest molluscs. Perhaps the most common is the use of poisonous compounds called molluscicides. Molluscicides encompass a diverse group of chemical compounds including table salt (NaCl), calcium arsenate, copper sulfate and metaldehyde. Molluscicides, depending upon their mode of action, fall into two major groups: (1) contact poisons or (2) ingested poisons. As a contact poison, the molluscicides must come into physical contact with the exterior of the mollusc, either by external application or as a result of the mollusc traversing the bait on the ground. The poison is picked up by the proteinaceous slime coat of the mollusc and builds up in the mollusc's body until it reaches lethal proportions. One of the major drawbacks of contact-type molluscicides is that they have little effect if the molluscs are not physically touched by the chemical. Slugs or snails will be unaffected if they arc hidden or migrate into an area after application of a contact molluscicide.
One of the few compounds that acts as both a contact and ingested poison is metaldehyde. This compound is commonly used as a long lasting bait, attracting the molluscs and killing them after ingestion of the compound. Despite its high effectiveness and its commercial popularity, metaldehyde is toxic to higher mammals and is a major contributor to domestic animal poisoning in the U.S. and Europe.
Heavy metals, including zinc, aluminum, copper and iron are all toxic to molluscs and are known to be effective molluscicides when used as contact poisons in the form of salts or chelates (Henderson, et al. 1990). Few of them, however, have been successful commercially, perhaps because many such compounds are not palatable to molluscs and are not ingested in sufficient quantities to be effective. More recently, Henderson et al. (UK Patent Application 2 207 866A, 1988) discovered that specific complexes of aluminum with pentanedione compounds and iron with nitroso compounds would act both as ingested and contact poisons.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,437,870 (Puritch et al) discloses an ingestible mollusc poison having a carrier (e.g., a bait), a simple iron compound and a second component. The second component can be ethylene diamine tetracetic acid (EDTA), salts of EDTA, hydroxyethlene triamine diacetic acid, (HEDTA) or salts of HEDTA. Australian Patent Application No. 77420/98 also discloses a stomach-action molluscicide that includes a metal complexone (i.e., iron EDTA) and a carrier.
With the metal-based ingested poisons, the slug must eat and absorb the poison in large enough amounts to reach a lethal threshold. These compounds are much more difficult to formulate and use than are contact poisons, because the compounds are not always palatable to the slug. To be effective, these compounds must be ingested and digested within the mollusc digestive tract in sufficiently high levels to cause a pesticidal effect. However, the activity of Such molluscicides must be slow enough acting to prevent the slug from prematurely becoming sick and to cease feeding on the poison before a lethal dose is ingested. (Henderson and Parker, 1986.) Many of the contact poisons (e.g., aluminum sulfate, copper sulfate, borax, etc.) are useless as ingested poisons because of their deterrence to slugs.
It would thus be desirable to provide a composition that will enhance absorption of stomach-action mollusc poisons without deterring ingestion of the poison by molluscs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides a mollusc stomach poison composition that comprises a simple metal compound, an additive that enhances the activity and absorption of the metal, and a carrier material that is edible to molluscs. The composition is effective to kill molluscs upon being ingested by the mollusc.
The simple metal compound may include metals selected from the group consisting of iron, copper, zinc, aluminum, and mixtures thereof. The term “iron” as used herein is understood to refer to both the ferric and ferrous forms of iron. The activity enhancing additive is a compound selected from the group consisting of ethylene diamine disuccinic acid, isomers of ethylene diamine disuccinic acid, salts of ethylene diamine disuccinic acid, metal complexes of ethylene diamine disuccinic acid and mixtures thereof. The carrier material is one that is edible to molluscs, and it preferably is a mollusc food.
In another embodiment the composition comprises a metal complex of ethylene diamine disuccinic acid or isomers thereof. Metals from which the complex can be formed include iron, copper, zinc, and aluminum.
In another embodiment the mollusc poison composition may also include a co-active ingredient, such as metaldehyde. In yet another embodiment the composition may include or be used with a fertilizer compound, such as a granular fertilizer.
As used herein, the term “mollusc” refers to both terrestrial and aquatic molluscs.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a composition that is an ingestible mollusc poison. In one embodiment, the composition includes a simple metal compound, an activity-enhancing additive which is believed to increase the efficacy of the metal compound, and a carrier that is edible to molluscs. Additional formulation enhancing additives may be included as well. Examples of such compounds include pH-adjusting compounds, preservatives, anti-microbial agents, phagostimulants, and taste-altering additives.
The simple metal compound can be one that includes metals such as iron, copper, zinc, aluminum or mixtures thereof. Such a compound may be reduced elemental iron, metal proteins (e.g., iron proteins, copper proteins, zinc proteins, aluminum proteins), metal salts (e.g., iron salts, copper salts, zinc salts, aluminum salts and mixtures thereof), metal carbohydrates (e.g., iron carbohydrates, copper carbohydrates, zinc carbohydrates, aluminum carbohydrates and mixtures thereof). Specific examples of such compounds include iron acetate, iron chloride, iron phosphate, iron phosphate/sodium citrate mixture, sodium iron phosphate, iron pyrophosphate, iron nitrate, iron ammonium sulfate, iron albuminate, iron sulfate, iron sulfide, iron choline citrate, iron glycerol phosphate, iron citrate, iron ammonium citrate, iron fumarate, iron gluconate, iron lactate, iron saccharate, iron fructate, iron dextrate, iron succinate, iron tartrate, copper acetate, copper chloride, copper phosphate, copper pyrophosphate, copper nitrate, copper ammonium sulfate, copper albuminate, copper sulfate, copper gluconate, copper lactate, copper saccharate, copper fructate, copper dextrate, zinc acetate, zinc chloride, zinc phosphate, zinc pyrophosphate, zinc nitrate, zinc ammonium sulfate, zinc albuminate, zinc sulfate, zinc gluconate, zinc lactate, zinc saccharate, zinc fructate, zinc dextrate, aluminum acetate, aluminum chloride, aluminum phospha

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