Neonicotinoids exposure assessment in Africanized honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) by using an environmentally-friendly sample preparation technique followed by UPLC-MS/MS

Author(s)

Barbosa-Medina, Ana Maria ; Soares Maciel, Edvaldo Vasconcelos ; Dos Santos, Dayana Moscardi ; Lancas, Fernando Mauro ; Vieira, Eny Maria

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND HEALTH PART B-PESTICIDES FOOD CONTAMIN; v. 57, n. 4, p. 11-pg., 2022-02-28.

Abstract

A miniaturized QuEChERS extraction method followed by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) was developed to analyze thiamethoxam and imidacloprid in 0.3 g of lyophilized Africanized honey bees (Apis mellifera L.). The work aimed to estimate honey bees' exposure to pesticides at the nanogram/gram (ng g(-1)) levels, using small sample and reagent quantities. Low amounts of solvents and salts were employed - 15x less than used in traditional methods. Average recoveries ranged from 64.5% to 99.7%, with repeatability below 20% for samples spiked at 3 and 167 ng g(-1). LOD and LOQ were 0.7, and 3 ng g(-1) for both pesticides. Applying the proposed approach, honey bee samples from different apiaries from the State of Sao Paulo (Brazil) were analyzed. The pesticides were detected in concentrations between 7.0 and 27.0 ng g(-1). Thus, the proposed method can be used as a greener alternative to analyze the two neonicotinoids at trace levels in small quantities of bees, consequently saving chemicals and waste. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 18/16244-0 - Analysis of thiamethoxam in bee tissue and pollen by LCMSMS and environmental risk assessment of insecticide thiamethoxam applied to strawberry cultivation on bees Apis mellifera L. and Tetragonisca angustula Latreille (1811)
• Grantee: Eny Maria Vieira
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants