Abstract
The increase in agricultural productivity associated with the emergence and the extensive use of pesticides is undeniable. However, strong evidence indicates that this continuous demand is causing serious environmental impacts and bringing toxic effects to associated biota as pollinating insects. The present work aims the determination of the insecticide abamectin (ABA) and the fungicide difenoconazole (DIF) in strawberry flowers (Fragaria x ananassa DUCH.) and pollen sampled from beehives of the stingless bee Tetragonisca angustula Latreille (Hymenoptera: Apidae) located nearby strawberry fields. For analysis, QuEChERS method was optimized, and the analytical performance of those two pesticides was verified. Then, the method was applied to strawberry flowers and the pollen was sampled during three field campaigns. While abamectin was not detected, the systemic fungicide difenoconazole was determined in almost all flowers and pollen samples, demonstrating the major persistence of this pesticide in investigated matrices. The results were then discussed about the difenoconazole application rate and transport to colonies to estimate a preliminary environmental risk assessment for stingless native bees. All calculations were proceeded considering exposure rates and toxicity data from the literature, adapted from Apis mellifera studies. In this sense, the determination, application, and discussion about risk assessment figure out as an important tool to the knowledge about the preliminary risks of native bees exposed to pesticides.
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The authors are grateful to strawberry farmers involved in this study.
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This work was supported by São Paulo Research Foundation-FAPESP (grant # 18/16244–0) and the Brazilian Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES) (grant # 1550165).
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All authors contributed to the study conception and design as follow: José Augusto Michelleti Burgarelli: conceptualization, methodology, investigation, and writing; Dayana Moscardi dos Santos: investigation, discussing, writing, and edition; Fernanda Scavassa Ribeiro do Prado: Methodology, writing; Waleria Ferreira Rabelo: discussion and writing; Rafael Sardeli: methodology; Janete Brigante: conceptualization, methodology, and investigation; Michiel Adriaan Daam: investigation and edition; Eny Maria Vieira: conceptualization and supervision. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
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Burgarelli, J.A.M., dos Santos, D.M., Prado, F.S.R. et al. Abamectin and difenoconazole monitoring in strawberry flowers and pollen sampled from Tetragonisca angustula (Latreille) (Hymenoptera: Apidae) hives located in crop vicinities. Environ Sci Pollut Res 30, 65401–65411 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-26886-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-26886-6