Abstract
Background
Exposure of Apis mellifera to neonicotinoid insecticides is one of the factors attributed to the recent decline in A. mellifera populations resulting in economic and ecological losses due to loss of pollination services. Honeybees can get exposed to neonicotinoids like imidacloprid directly in the field at the time of application as well as during consumption of pollen and nectar from treated plants. In addition, some metabolites of imidacloprid are more toxic than the parent compound. So, the fate of imidacloprid and its metabolites in commodities to which honeybees get exposed needs to be overhauled.
Objective
To validate QuEChERS method for estimation of imidacloprid and its metabolites in cotton flower, pollen, nectariferous tissue, and honey using HPLC.
Methods
The QuEChERS method was validated in terms of selectivity, linearity, LOD, LOQ, matrix match, accuracy, and precision. The estimation of residues was done by HPLC.
Results
Recoveries of imidacloprid and its metabolites for cotton flowers, nectariferous tissue, pollen and honey samples were in the range of 80.42–99. 83%. LOQ for imidacloprid and its metabolites was 0.01 µg/g. Acceptable precision (RSD < 20%) was obtained.
Conclusion
The method allows simple and fast extraction of imidacloprid and its metabolites from cotton flower, pollen, nectariferous tissue, and honey.
Highlights
An accurate, simple, and sensitive analytical method was validated for imidacloprid and its metabolites. The method was validated according to the SANTE/12682/2019 guidelines.
Dissipation kinetics of asparagine in soil measured by compound-specific analysis with metabolite tracking
