Use of UPLCMS/MS for the determination of abamectin and difenoconazole in tissue, honey and pollen samples of the bee Scaptotrigona depilis: study of toxic effects, biochemical biomarkers and environmental risk analysis

• Grant number: 22/09844-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)
• Start date: August 01, 2023
• End date: June 30, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Analytical Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Eny Maria Vieira
• Grantee: Gabriela Reani Rodrigues Garcia
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química de São Carlos (IQSC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Bees are insects of great importance for biodiversity and agricultural production, since itis one of the insects responsible for promoting pollination of flowers, the generation offruits and even provide honey, wax, propolis. In Brazil there is a wide variety of nativebees, known to possess the atrophied stinger and do not have poison. However, with thegrowing global demand for food, combined with economic interests to increaseagricultural production, there is an increasing use of pesticides. This fact can contributeto the decrease in the bee population and cause contamination of bee products. Thisproject proposes to develop and validate analytical method for the quantitativedetermination of the insecticide abamectin and fungicide difenoconazole in samples ofbee tissue of the species Scaptotrigona depilis and its by-products (honey and pollen) byUPLC MS/MS. The QuEChERS method will be used for sample preparation. Themethod will be validated for application in samples collected from hives allocated instrawberry crop in the city of Bom Repouso, MG. Acute and chronic toxicity will bealso evaluated in adult bees exposed to oral and contact pesticides to obtain riskquotients (QR) that support the study of the risk associated with these pollinatingagents. In addition, the enzymatic biomarkers (serotonin, dopamine and octopamine),glutathione S-transferase (GST), an enzyme belonging to the Phase II metabolic system(CYP450) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE), responsible for inhibiting theneurotransmitter vital to muscle functioning, commonly affected by xenobiotics, will. (AU)