Pesticide residues in beeswax samples collected from honey bee colonies (Apis mellifera L.) in France

Abstract

In 2002 a field survey was initiated in French apiaries in order to monitor the health of honey bee colonies (Apis mellifera L.). Studied apiaries were evenly distributed across five sites located in continental France. Beeswax samples were collected once a year over 2 years from a total of 125 honey bee colonies. Multiresidue analyses were performed on these samples in order to identify residues of 16 insecticides and acaricides and two fungicides. Residues of 14 of the searched-for compounds were found in samples. Tau-fluvalinate, coumaphos and endosulfan residues were the most frequently occurring residues (61.9, 52.2 and 23.4% of samples respectively). Coumaphos was found in the highest average quantities (792.6 microg kg(-1)). Residues of cypermethrin, lindane and deltamethrin were found in 21.9, 4.3 and 2.4% of samples respectively. Statistical tests showed no difference between years of sampling, with the exception of the frequency of pyrethroid residues. Beeswax contamination was the result of both in-hive acaricide treatments and, to a much lesser extent, environmental pollution.

Pesticide Residues in Natural Products with Pharmaceutical Use: Occurrence, Analytical Advances and Perspectives

“…Not only acaricide contamination occurs, residues of the OC lindane, and the OCs metabolites p,p'-TDE, endosulfan sulphate and 3-phenoxybenzaldehide were found in beeswax from Spanish beehives (Jiménez et al, 2005). A wide variety of residues of OPs, synthetic pyrethroids and dicarboximide fungicides (procymidone and vinclozolin) were also detected in beeswax from France (Chauzat & Faucon 2007). Recently, Spanish commercial beeswax were found containing chlorimefon, chlorfenvinphos, chlorpyriphos, endosulfan and malathion residues (Serra-Bonvehí & Orantes-Bermejo, 2010).…”

“…In this case, the preferred strategy is based on the retention of waxes in the sorbent whereas pesticides are eluted. Methodologies using Florisil (Adamczyk et al, 2007, Frison et al, 1999, Tsigouri et al, 2000, Tsigouri et al, 2004, C 18 (Chauzat & Faucon, 2007, Jiménez et al, 2004a, Kamel & Al-Ghamdi, 2006) also combined with HLB (Jiménez et al 2004b) were reported. Selective eluting step is carried out using non-polar mixtures (nhexane:diethylether mixtures) to polar ones (based on MeOH and MeCN), respectively.…”

“…Selected qualifiers and quantifiers transitions ions are focused on quantitative and qualitative purposes respectively. Firstly, GC-(QqQ)MS/MS was employed for the determination of 18 pesticides (acaricides, insecticides and fungicides) in beeswax (Chauzat & Faucon, 2007). Other authors, have recently introduced comparative studies of multiresidue determination performance by GC-MS working in SIM mode and GC-(QqQ)MS/MS in Ginseng powders .…”

Resistance of developing honeybee larvae during chronic exposure to dietary nicotine

“…However, high levels of agrochemical and miticide residues, including neonicotinoids, have been measured in pollen loads, bee bread, honey and propolis, as well as in the wax cells in which larvae develop and pollen is stored (Chauzat and Faucon, 2007;Chauzat et al, 2006;Mullin et al, 2010;Pettis et al, 2013;Wu et al, 2011). Wax may be a sink for hydrophobic chemicals (Chauzat and Faucon, 2007), which facilitates the transfer of pesticides from contaminated to uncontaminated comb (Wu et al, 2011). Larvae, far from being protected from pesticides in the colony, may thus be chronically exposed to an accumulation of chemical residues with potential additive or synergistic effects.…”

Research strategies to improve honeybee health in Europe

“…Consequently, the active ingredient is commonly found in the hive and in pollen pellets of foragers (Chauzat et al, 2006;Chauzat and Faucon, 2007).…”