State Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-di Herbs, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, China.
Plastic Surgery Hospital and Institute, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100144, China.
Sci Total Environ. 2024 Apr 1;919:170937. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170937. Epub 2024 Feb 14.
Neonicotinoids are broad-spectrum and highly effective insecticides that work by affecting neural activity in insects. Neonicotinoids are systemic pesticides that are absorbed by plants, transported, and accumulated in plant tissues, including nectar and pollen. Currently, there is a lack of a comprehensive assessment of the level of neonicotinoid contamination and the associated health risks to non-targeted organisms in commercial honey and pollen produced in China. This study collected 160 batches of honey and 26 batches of pollen from different regions and plant sources in China, analyzed the residue patterns of neonicotinoid pesticides, and comprehensively evaluated the exposure risks to non-targeted organisms including bees (adults and larvae) and humans. Furthermore, this study addresses this imperative by establishing a high-throughput, rapid, and ultra-sensitive indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ic-ELISA) based on broad-spectrum monoclonal antibodies to detect and quantify neonicotinoids, with validation conducted using the LC-MS/MS method. The findings indicated that 59.4 % of honey samples contained at least one of eight neonicotinoids, and the ic-ELISA rapid detection and calculation method could detect all the samples containing neonicotinoids. Additionally, the dietary risk assessment for humans and honeybees indicates that the consumption of a specific quantity of honey may not pose a health risk to human due to neonicotinoid intake. However, the Risk Quotient values for imidacloprid to adult bees and bee larvae, as well as clothianidin to bee larvae, were determined to be 2.22, 5.03, and 1.01, respectively-each exceeding 1. This highlights the elevated risk of acute toxicity posed by imidacloprid and clothianidin residues to honey bees. The study bears significant implications for the safety evaluation of non-targeted organisms in the natural food chain. Moreover, it provides scientific guidance for protecting the diversity and health of the ecosystem.
新烟碱类杀虫剂是广谱、高效的杀虫剂，通过影响昆虫的神经活动起作用。新烟碱类杀虫剂是内吸性杀虫剂，被植物吸收，在植物组织中运输和积累，包括花蜜和花粉。目前，中国商业蜂蜜和花粉中，新烟碱类污染物的水平及其对非靶标生物的相关健康风险，缺乏全面评估。本研究从中国不同地区和植物来源采集了 160 批蜂蜜和 26 批花粉，分析了新烟碱类农药的残留模式，综合评估了包括蜜蜂（成虫和幼虫）和人类在内的非靶标生物的暴露风险。此外，本研究通过建立一种基于广谱单克隆抗体的高通量、快速和超灵敏间接竞争酶联免疫吸附测定法（ic-ELISA）来检测和定量新烟碱类农药，并用 LC-MS/MS 方法进行验证，解决了这一迫切需求。结果表明，59.4%的蜂蜜样品中至少含有 8 种新烟碱类农药中的一种，ic-ELISA 快速检测和计算方法可以检测到所有含有新烟碱类农药的样品。此外，对人类和蜜蜂的膳食风险评估表明，由于新烟碱类农药的摄入，食用一定量的蜂蜜可能不会对人类健康造成风险。然而，对于成年蜜蜂和蜜蜂幼虫的吡虫啉以及蜜蜂幼虫的噻虫嗪，风险商数值分别为 2.22、5.03 和 1.01，均超过 1。这表明吡虫啉和噻虫嗪残留对蜜蜂具有较高的急性毒性风险。本研究对自然食物链中非靶标生物的安全性评价具有重要意义。此外，它为保护生态系统的多样性和健康提供了科学指导。
