The effectiveness of Virkon® S disinfectant against the invasive chironomid Eretmoptera murphyi and implications for Antarctic biosecurity practices
The flightless midge Eretmoptera murphyi is thought to be continuing its invasion of Signy Island via the treads of personnel boots. Current boot-wash biosecurity protocols in the Antarctic region rely on microbial biocides, primarily Virkon® S. As pesticides have limited approval for use in the Ant...
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Cambridge University Press
2021
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Online Access: | http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/525673/ https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/antarctic-science/article/effectiveness-of-virkon-s-disinfectant-against-an-invasive-insect-and-implications-for-antarctic-biosecurity-practices/6559A7D74340AB26D4F309D278AF0B30 |
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ftnerc:oai:nora.nerc.ac.uk:525673 2023-05-15T13:41:44+02:00 The effectiveness of Virkon® S disinfectant against the invasive chironomid Eretmoptera murphyi and implications for Antarctic biosecurity practices Bartlett, Jesamine C. Radcliffe, Richard James Convey, Pete Hughes, Kevin A. Hayward, Scott A.L. 2021-02 http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/525673/ https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/antarctic-science/article/effectiveness-of-virkon-s-disinfectant-against-an-invasive-insect-and-implications-for-antarctic-biosecurity-practices/6559A7D74340AB26D4F309D278AF0B30 unknown Cambridge University Press Bartlett, Jesamine C.; Radcliffe, Richard James; Convey, Pete orcid:0000-0001-8497-9903 Hughes, Kevin A. orcid:0000-0003-2701-726X Hayward, Scott A.L. 2021 The effectiveness of Virkon® S disinfectant against the invasive chironomid Eretmoptera murphyi and implications for Antarctic biosecurity practices. Antarctic Science, 33 (1). 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954102020000413 <https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954102020000413> Publication - Article PeerReviewed 2021 ftnerc https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954102020000413 2023-02-04T19:49:32Z The flightless midge Eretmoptera murphyi is thought to be continuing its invasion of Signy Island via the treads of personnel boots. Current boot-wash biosecurity protocols in the Antarctic region rely on microbial biocides, primarily Virkon® S. As pesticides have limited approval for use in the Antarctic Treaty area, we investigated the efficacy of Virkon® S in controlling the spread of E. murphyi using boot-wash simulations and maximum threshold exposures. We found that E. murphyi tolerates over 8 h of submergence in 1% Virkon® S. Higher concentrations increased effectiveness, but larvae still exhibited > 50% survival after 5 h in 10% Virkon® S. Salt and hot water treatments (without Virkon® S) were explored as possible alternatives. Salt water proved ineffective, with mortality only in first-instar larvae across multi-day exposures. Larvae experienced 100% mortality when exposed for 10 s to 50°C water, but they showed complete survival at 45°C. Given that current boot-wash protocols alone are an ineffective control of this invasive insect, we advocate hot water (> 50°C) to remove soil, followed by Virkon® S as a microbial biocide on ‘clean’ boots. Implications for the spread of invasive invertebrates as a result of increased human activity in the Antarctic region are discussed. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Science Signy Island Natural Environment Research Council: NERC Open Research Archive Antarctic Signy Island ENVELOPE(-45.595,-45.595,-60.708,-60.708) The Antarctic Antarctic Science 33 1 1 9 |
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Open Polar |
collection |
Natural Environment Research Council: NERC Open Research Archive |
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ftnerc |
language |
unknown |
description |
The flightless midge Eretmoptera murphyi is thought to be continuing its invasion of Signy Island via the treads of personnel boots. Current boot-wash biosecurity protocols in the Antarctic region rely on microbial biocides, primarily Virkon® S. As pesticides have limited approval for use in the Antarctic Treaty area, we investigated the efficacy of Virkon® S in controlling the spread of E. murphyi using boot-wash simulations and maximum threshold exposures. We found that E. murphyi tolerates over 8 h of submergence in 1% Virkon® S. Higher concentrations increased effectiveness, but larvae still exhibited > 50% survival after 5 h in 10% Virkon® S. Salt and hot water treatments (without Virkon® S) were explored as possible alternatives. Salt water proved ineffective, with mortality only in first-instar larvae across multi-day exposures. Larvae experienced 100% mortality when exposed for 10 s to 50°C water, but they showed complete survival at 45°C. Given that current boot-wash protocols alone are an ineffective control of this invasive insect, we advocate hot water (> 50°C) to remove soil, followed by Virkon® S as a microbial biocide on ‘clean’ boots. Implications for the spread of invasive invertebrates as a result of increased human activity in the Antarctic region are discussed. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Bartlett, Jesamine C. Radcliffe, Richard James Convey, Pete Hughes, Kevin A. Hayward, Scott A.L. |
spellingShingle |
Bartlett, Jesamine C. Radcliffe, Richard James Convey, Pete Hughes, Kevin A. Hayward, Scott A.L. The effectiveness of Virkon® S disinfectant against the invasive chironomid Eretmoptera murphyi and implications for Antarctic biosecurity practices |
author_facet |
Bartlett, Jesamine C. Radcliffe, Richard James Convey, Pete Hughes, Kevin A. Hayward, Scott A.L. |
author_sort |
Bartlett, Jesamine C. |
title |
The effectiveness of Virkon® S disinfectant against the invasive chironomid Eretmoptera murphyi and implications for Antarctic biosecurity practices |
title_short |
The effectiveness of Virkon® S disinfectant against the invasive chironomid Eretmoptera murphyi and implications for Antarctic biosecurity practices |
title_full |
The effectiveness of Virkon® S disinfectant against the invasive chironomid Eretmoptera murphyi and implications for Antarctic biosecurity practices |
title_fullStr |
The effectiveness of Virkon® S disinfectant against the invasive chironomid Eretmoptera murphyi and implications for Antarctic biosecurity practices |
title_full_unstemmed |
The effectiveness of Virkon® S disinfectant against the invasive chironomid Eretmoptera murphyi and implications for Antarctic biosecurity practices |
title_sort |
effectiveness of virkon® s disinfectant against the invasive chironomid eretmoptera murphyi and implications for antarctic biosecurity practices |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press |
publishDate |
2021 |
url |
http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/525673/ https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/antarctic-science/article/effectiveness-of-virkon-s-disinfectant-against-an-invasive-insect-and-implications-for-antarctic-biosecurity-practices/6559A7D74340AB26D4F309D278AF0B30 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-45.595,-45.595,-60.708,-60.708) |
geographic |
Antarctic Signy Island The Antarctic |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic Signy Island The Antarctic |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Science Signy Island |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Science Signy Island |
op_relation |
Bartlett, Jesamine C.; Radcliffe, Richard James; Convey, Pete orcid:0000-0001-8497-9903 Hughes, Kevin A. orcid:0000-0003-2701-726X Hayward, Scott A.L. 2021 The effectiveness of Virkon® S disinfectant against the invasive chironomid Eretmoptera murphyi and implications for Antarctic biosecurity practices. Antarctic Science, 33 (1). 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954102020000413 <https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954102020000413> |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954102020000413 |
container_title |
Antarctic Science |
container_volume |
33 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
1 |
op_container_end_page |
9 |
_version_ |
1766156149472624640 |