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Wilmart O, Legrève A, Scippo ML, Reybroeck W, Urbain B, de Graaf DC, Spanoghe P, Delahaut P, Saegerman C. Honey bee exposure scenarios to selected residues through contaminated beeswax. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 772:145533. [PMID: 33770874 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Revised: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Twenty-two pesticides and veterinary drugs of which residues were detected in beeswax in Europe were selected according to different criteria. The risk to honey bee health posed by the presence of these residues in wax was assessed based on three exposure scenarios. The first one corresponds to the exposure of larvae following their close contact with wax constituting the cells in which they develop. The second one corresponds to the exposure of larvae following consumption of the larval food that was contaminated from contact with contaminated wax. The third one corresponds to the exposure of adult honey bees following wax chewing when building cells and based on a theoretical worst-case scenario (= intake of contaminants from wax). Following these three scenarios, maximum concentrations which should not be exceeded in beeswax in order to protect honey bee health were calculated for each selected substance. Based on these values, provisional action limits were proposed. Beeswax exceeding these limits should not be put on the market.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivier Wilmart
- Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (FASFC), Directorate Control Policy, Staff Direction for Risk Assessment, 55 Boulevard du Jardin Botanique, B-1000 Brussels, Belgium.
| | - Anne Legrève
- Université catholique de Louvain (UCL), Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Earth & Life Institute (ELI), 2 bte L7.05.03 Croix du Sud, B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Marie-Louise Scippo
- Scientific Committee, Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain, 55 Boulevard du Jardin Botanique, B-1000 Brussels, Belgium; University of Liège (ULiège), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Food Sciences - Laboratory of Food Analysis, Fundamental and Applied Research for Animals & Health (FARAH) Center, 10 Avenue de Cureghem, B43bis, B-4000 Liège, Sart-Tilman, Belgium
| | - Wim Reybroeck
- Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO), Technology and Food Science Unit, 370 Brusselsesteenweg, B-9090 Melle, Belgium
| | - Bruno Urbain
- Federal Agency for Medicines and Health Products (FAMHP), Eurostation II, 40/40 Place Victor Horta, B-1060 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Dirk C de Graaf
- Ghent University (UGent), Faculty of Sciences, Laboratory of Molecular Entomology and Bee Pathology, 281 S2 Krijgslaan, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Pieter Spanoghe
- Scientific Committee, Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain, 55 Boulevard du Jardin Botanique, B-1000 Brussels, Belgium; Ghent University (UGent), Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Department of Plants and Crops, 653 Coupure links, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Philippe Delahaut
- Scientific Committee, Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain, 55 Boulevard du Jardin Botanique, B-1000 Brussels, Belgium; Centre d'Economie Rurale (CER), Département Santé, 8 Rue de la Science, B-6900 Aye, Belgium
| | - Claude Saegerman
- Scientific Committee, Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain, 55 Boulevard du Jardin Botanique, B-1000 Brussels, Belgium; University of Liège (ULiège), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Research Unit of Epidemiology and Risk analysis applied to Veterinary sciences (UREAR-ULiège), Fundamental and Applied Research for Animal and Health (FARAH) Center, Quartier Vallée 2, 7A Avenue de Cureghem, B42, B-4000 Liège, Sart-Tilman, Belgium
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More S, Bampidis V, Benford D, Bragard C, Halldorsson T, Hernández‐Jerez A, Bennekou SH, Koutsoumanis K, Machera K, Naegeli H, Nielsen SS, Schlatter J, Schrenk D, Silano V, Turck D, Younes M, Arnold G, Dorne J, Maggiore A, Pagani S, Szentes C, Terry S, Tosi S, Vrbos D, Zamariola G, Rortais A. A systems-based approach to the environmental risk assessment of multiple stressors in honey bees. EFSA J 2021; 19:e06607. [PMID: 34025804 PMCID: PMC8135085 DOI: 10.2903/j.efsa.2021.6607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The European Parliament requested EFSA to develop a holistic risk assessment of multiple stressors in honey bees. To this end, a systems-based approach that is composed of two core components: a monitoring system and a modelling system are put forward with honey bees taken as a showcase. Key developments in the current scientific opinion (including systematic data collection from sentinel beehives and an agent-based simulation) have the potential to substantially contribute to future development of environmental risk assessments of multiple stressors at larger spatial and temporal scales. For the monitoring, sentinel hives would be placed across representative climatic zones and landscapes in the EU and connected to a platform for data storage and analysis. Data on bee health status, chemical residues and the immediate or broader landscape around the hives would be collected in a harmonised and standardised manner, and would be used to inform stakeholders, and the modelling system, ApisRAM, which simulates as accurately as possible a honey bee colony. ApisRAM would be calibrated and continuously updated with incoming monitoring data and emerging scientific knowledge from research. It will be a supportive tool for beekeeping, farming, research, risk assessment and risk management, and it will benefit the wider society. A societal outlook on the proposed approach is included and this was conducted with targeted social science research with 64 beekeepers from eight EU Member States and with members of the EU Bee Partnership. Gaps and opportunities are identified to further implement the approach. Conclusions and recommendations are made on a way forward, both for the application of the approach and its use in a broader context.
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Willow J, Silva A, Veromann E, Smagghe G. Acute effect of low-dose thiacloprid exposure synergised by tebuconazole in a parasitoid wasp. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0212456. [PMID: 30794624 PMCID: PMC6386243 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0212456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2018] [Accepted: 02/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Agricultural practices often involve tank-mixing and co-application of insecticides with fungicides to control crop pests. However, natural methods relying on biological control agents such as hymenopteran parasitoids have been shown to be highly effective in suppressing crop pest populations. The current body of insecticide risk assessment data accounting for fungicide co-application is very small, the present study being the first to examine this in a parasitoid wasp. Through low-dose exposure to dry residues of the neonicotinoid insecticide thiacloprid, we examined its mortal and knockdown effect on Aphelinus abdominalis when co-applied with increasing doses of the fungicide tebuconazole. Both of these acute effects of thiacloprid were synergised (toxicity increased to a greater-than-additive effect) by tebuconazole, resulting in significant mortality from low-dose co-applications of tebuconazole, and significant knockdown even without co-applied tebuconazole, the effect increasing as tebuconazole concentration increased. We show the highly toxic effect that a low dose of thiacloprid imposes on A. abdominalis populations, and a synergistic toxicity when co-applied with low doses of tebuconazole. Our work suggests a need for updating pesticide risk assessment methods, accounting for pesticide mixtures, in order to make these risk assessments more field relevant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Willow
- Laboratory of Agrozoology, Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Chair of Plant Health, Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Tartu, Estonia
- * E-mail:
| | - Ana Silva
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Eve Veromann
- Chair of Plant Health, Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Guy Smagghe
- Laboratory of Agrozoology, Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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van Dooremalen C, Cornelissen B, Poleij-Hok-Ahin C, Blacquière T. Single and interactive effects of Varroa destructor
, Nosema
spp., and imidacloprid on honey bee colonies (Apis mellifera
). Ecosphere 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Coby van Dooremalen
- Bees@wur; Wageningen Plant Research; Wageningen University and Research; Droevendaalsesteeg 1 Wageningen 6708 PB The Netherlands
| | - Bram Cornelissen
- Bees@wur; Wageningen Plant Research; Wageningen University and Research; Droevendaalsesteeg 1 Wageningen 6708 PB The Netherlands
| | - Chula Poleij-Hok-Ahin
- Bees@wur; Wageningen Plant Research; Wageningen University and Research; Droevendaalsesteeg 1 Wageningen 6708 PB The Netherlands
| | - Tjeerd Blacquière
- Bees@wur; Wageningen Plant Research; Wageningen University and Research; Droevendaalsesteeg 1 Wageningen 6708 PB The Netherlands
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Tomé HVV, Ramos GS, Araújo MF, Santana WC, Santos GR, Guedes RNC, Maciel CD, Newland PL, Oliveira EE. Agrochemical synergism imposes higher risk to Neotropical bees than to honeybees. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2017; 4:160866. [PMID: 28280585 PMCID: PMC5319351 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.160866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2016] [Accepted: 12/01/2016] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Bees are key pollinators whose population numbers are declining, in part, owing to the effects of different stressors such as insecticides and fungicides. We have analysed the susceptibility of the Africanized honeybee, Apis mellifera, and the stingless bee, Partamona helleri, to commercial formulations of the insecticides deltamethrin and imidacloprid. The toxicity of fungicides based on thiophanate-methyl and chlorothalonil were investigated individually and in combination, and with the insecticides. Results showed that stingless bees were more susceptible to insecticides than honeybees. The commercial fungicides thiophanate-methyl or chlorothalonil caused low mortality, regardless of concentration; however, their combination was as toxic as imidacloprid to both species, and over 400-fold more toxic than deltamethrin for A. mellifera. There were highly synergistic effects on mortality caused by interactions in the mixture of imidacloprid and the fungicides thiophanate-methyl, chlorothalonil and the combined fungicide formulation in A. mellifera, and also to a lesser extent in P. helleri. By contrast, mixtures of the deltamethrin and the combined fungicide formulation induced high synergy in P. helleri, but had little effect on the mortality of A. mellifera. Differences in physiology and modes of action of agrochemicals are discussed as key factors underlying the differences in susceptibility to agrochemicals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hudson V. V. Tomé
- Departamento de Entomologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-900 Viçosa-MG, Brazil
- EAG Laboratories, 13709 Progress Boulevard no. 24, Suite S163, Alachua, FL, 32615USA
| | - Gabryele S. Ramos
- Departamento de Entomologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-900 Viçosa-MG, Brazil
| | - Micaele F. Araújo
- Departamento de Entomologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-900 Viçosa-MG, Brazil
| | - Weyder C. Santana
- Departamento de Entomologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-900 Viçosa-MG, Brazil
| | - Gil R. Santos
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Produção Vegetal, Universidade Federal do Tocantins, Gurupi, TO 77410-530, Brazil
| | - Raul Narciso C. Guedes
- Departamento de Entomologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-900 Viçosa-MG, Brazil
| | - Carlos D. Maciel
- Department of Electrical Engineering, São Carlos School of Engineering, University of São Paulo, São Carlos, SP, Brazil
| | - Philip L. Newland
- Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Highfield Campus, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Eugênio E. Oliveira
- Departamento de Entomologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-900 Viçosa-MG, Brazil
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García MDG, Duque SU, Fernández ABL, Sosa A, Fernández-Alba AR. Multiresidue method for trace pesticide analysis in honeybee wax comb by GC-QqQ-MS. Talanta 2016; 163:54-64. [PMID: 27886770 DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2016.10.083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2016] [Revised: 10/21/2016] [Accepted: 10/23/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this analytical study is to develop an improved multi-residue methodology of high sensitivity and expanded scope for pesticide residue analysis in honeybee wax combs. The method was validated for 160 pesticide residues (including acaricides, insecticides, fungicides and herbicides) gas chromatography amenable and covering a wide variety of polarity and chemical structure. This method of analysis applied gas chromatography coupled to a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer for the quantitative analysis of pesticide residues. The extraction procedure applied was based QuEChERs method allowing acceptable recoveries for most of the pesticides (98%), within the range 60-120% with an associated precision (RSD) <20%, at concentration levels of MQL of 10µgkg-1 for all pesticides with the exception of 3,5-dichloroaniline and chlordane (20µgkg-1). The expanded uncertainty of the results was ±35% on average (coverage factor k=2 for a confidence level of 95%). The chromatographic multi-residue method was applied to determine levels of pesticide residues in 50 honeybee wax comb samples randomly collected from different apiaries in Spain. A total of 32 pesticide residues (14 insecticides/acaricides, 10 insecticides, 6 fungicides and 2 herbicides) were detected in the samples. The highest pesticide concentrations were found for those with insecticide-acaricide activity like acrinathrin, chlorfenvinphos, coumaphos and fluvalinate-tau, some of them are mainly applied in apiculture for controlling the honeybee parasite Varroa destructor. The total load of pesticide residues ranged from 69 to 1000µgkg-1 for 40% of the analysed samples, 22% contained pesticide residues in the ranges of 1000-2000µgkg-1, 24% between 2000 and 5000µgkg-1 and 14% of the samples contained residues between 5000 and 9557µgkg-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- M D Gil García
- Agrifood Campus of International Excellence (CeiA3), Department of Chemistry and Physics, University of Almeria, European Union Reference Laboratory for Pesticide Residues in Fruit and Vegetables, 04120 Almería, Spain
| | - S Uclés Duque
- Agrifood Campus of International Excellence (CeiA3), Department of Chemistry and Physics, University of Almeria, European Union Reference Laboratory for Pesticide Residues in Fruit and Vegetables, 04120 Almería, Spain; National Agricultural Technology Institute (INTA), Concordia Agricultural Experimental Station, Argentina
| | - A B Lozano Fernández
- Agrifood Campus of International Excellence (CeiA3), Department of Chemistry and Physics, University of Almeria, European Union Reference Laboratory for Pesticide Residues in Fruit and Vegetables, 04120 Almería, Spain
| | - A Sosa
- National Agricultural Technology Institute (INTA), Concordia Agricultural Experimental Station, Argentina
| | - A R Fernández-Alba
- Agrifood Campus of International Excellence (CeiA3), Department of Chemistry and Physics, University of Almeria, European Union Reference Laboratory for Pesticide Residues in Fruit and Vegetables, 04120 Almería, Spain; National Agricultural Technology Institute (INTA), Concordia Agricultural Experimental Station, Argentina.
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Thompson H, Coulson M, Ruddle N, Wilkins S, Harrington P, Harkin S. Monitoring the effects of thiamethoxam applied as a seed treatment to winter oilseed rape on the development of bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) colonies. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2016; 72:1737-42. [PMID: 26685925 DOI: 10.1002/ps.4202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2015] [Revised: 11/30/2015] [Accepted: 11/30/2015] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The development of bumblebee (Bombus terrestris audax) colonies that had foraged for 5 weeks on flowering winter oilseed rape grown from seed treated with thiamethoxam (as Cruiser OSR) was assessed (two control, one treated field). Colony development was evaluated by monitoring the colony mass, forager activity was assessed, both at the hive and within the crop, and the contribution of oilseed rape to the pollen stored within the colony was analysed. RESULTS Pollen collected from the treated crop contained residues of 1.0 µg thiamethoxam kg(-1) and 3.0 µg CGA322704 (metabolite likely equivalent to clothiandin) kg(-1) , and nectar contained residues of 1.8 µg thiamethoxam kg(-1) and no metabolite. No residues of thiamethoxam or CGA322704 were detected in samples from the control fields. Up to 93% of bumblebee collected pollen sampled from within the colonies originated from oilseed rape, and B. terrestris were observed actively foraging on all the fields. Colonies on all three fields showed similar rates of mass gain during the exposure phase and comparable production of gynes and drones. CONCLUSIONS B. terrestris colonies placed adjacent to a field of flowering oilseed rape grown from thiamethoxam-treated seed developed at a comparable rate with colonies placed adjacent to oilseed rape grown from untreated seed. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen Thompson
- Syngenta, Jealott's Hill International Research Station, Bracknell, Berks, UK
| | - Mike Coulson
- Syngenta, Jealott's Hill International Research Station, Bracknell, Berks, UK
| | - Natalie Ruddle
- Syngenta, Jealott's Hill International Research Station, Bracknell, Berks, UK
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8
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Feyereisen R. Insect P450 inhibitors and insecticides: challenges and opportunities. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2015; 71:793-800. [PMID: 25404103 DOI: 10.1002/ps.3895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2014] [Revised: 08/03/2014] [Accepted: 08/25/2014] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
P450 enzymes are encoded by a large number of genes in insects, often over a hundred. They play important roles in insecticide metabolism and resistance, and growing numbers of P450 enzymes are now known to catalyse important physiological reactions, such as hormone metabolism or cuticular hydrocarbon synthesis. Ways to inhibit P450 enzymes specifically or less specifically are well understood, as P450 inhibitors are found as drugs, as fungicides, as plant growth regulators and as insecticide synergists. Yet there are no P450 inhibitors as insecticides on the market. As new modes of action are constantly needed to support insecticide resistance management, P450 inhibitors should be considered because of their high potential for insect selectivity, their well-known mechanisms of action and the increasing ease of rational design and testing.
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Bonmatin JM, Giorio C, Girolami V, Goulson D, Kreutzweiser DP, Krupke C, Liess M, Long E, Marzaro M, Mitchell EAD, Noome DA, Simon-Delso N, Tapparo A. Environmental fate and exposure; neonicotinoids and fipronil. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2015; 22:35-67. [PMID: 25096486 PMCID: PMC4284396 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-014-3332-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 716] [Impact Index Per Article: 79.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2014] [Accepted: 07/11/2014] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Systemic insecticides are applied to plants using a wide variety of methods, ranging from foliar sprays to seed treatments and soil drenches. Neonicotinoids and fipronil are among the most widely used pesticides in the world. Their popularity is largely due to their high toxicity to invertebrates, the ease and flexibility with which they can be applied, their long persistence, and their systemic nature, which ensures that they spread to all parts of the target crop. However, these properties also increase the probability of environmental contamination and exposure of nontarget organisms. Environmental contamination occurs via a number of routes including dust generated during drilling of dressed seeds, contamination and accumulation in arable soils and soil water, runoff into waterways, and uptake of pesticides by nontarget plants via their roots or dust deposition on leaves. Persistence in soils, waterways, and nontarget plants is variable but can be prolonged; for example, the half-lives of neonicotinoids in soils can exceed 1,000 days, so they can accumulate when used repeatedly. Similarly, they can persist in woody plants for periods exceeding 1 year. Breakdown results in toxic metabolites, though concentrations of these in the environment are rarely measured. Overall, there is strong evidence that soils, waterways, and plants in agricultural environments and neighboring areas are contaminated with variable levels of neonicotinoids or fipronil mixtures and their metabolites (soil, parts per billion (ppb)-parts per million (ppm) range; water, parts per trillion (ppt)-ppb range; and plants, ppb-ppm range). This provides multiple routes for chronic (and acute in some cases) exposure of nontarget animals. For example, pollinators are exposed through direct contact with dust during drilling; consumption of pollen, nectar, or guttation drops from seed-treated crops, water, and consumption of contaminated pollen and nectar from wild flowers and trees growing near-treated crops. Studies of food stores in honeybee colonies from across the globe demonstrate that colonies are routinely and chronically exposed to neonicotinoids, fipronil, and their metabolites (generally in the 1-100 ppb range), mixed with other pesticides some of which are known to act synergistically with neonicotinoids. Other nontarget organisms, particularly those inhabiting soils, aquatic habitats, or herbivorous insects feeding on noncrop plants in farmland, will also inevitably receive exposure, although data are generally lacking for these groups. We summarize the current state of knowledge regarding the environmental fate of these compounds by outlining what is known about the chemical properties of these compounds, and placing these properties in the context of modern agricultural practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- J-M Bonmatin
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, Rue Charles Sadron, 45071, Orléans cedex 02, France,
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Thompson HM, Levine SL, Doering J, Norman S, Manson P, Sutton P, von Mérey G. Evaluating exposure and potential effects on honeybee brood (Apis mellifera) development using glyphosate as an example. INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT 2014; 10:463-70. [PMID: 24616275 PMCID: PMC4285224 DOI: 10.1002/ieam.1529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2013] [Revised: 10/24/2013] [Accepted: 02/03/2014] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to develop an approach to evaluate potential effects of plant protection products on honeybee brood with colonies at realistic worst-case exposure rates. The approach comprised 2 stages. In the first stage, honeybee colonies were exposed to a commercial formulation of glyphosate applied to flowering Phacelia tanacetifolia with glyphosate residues quantified in relevant matrices (pollen and nectar) collected by foraging bees on days 1, 2, 3, 4, and 7 postapplication and glyphosate levels in larvae were measured on days 4 and 7. Glyphosate levels in pollen were approximately 10 times higher than in nectar and glyphosate demonstrated rapid decline in both matrices. Residue data along with foraging rates and food requirements of the colony were then used to set dose rates in the effects study. In the second stage, the toxicity of technical glyphosate to developing honeybee larvae and pupae, and residues in larvae, were then determined by feeding treated sucrose directly to honeybee colonies at dose rates that reflect worst-case exposure scenarios. There were no significant effects from glyphosate observed in brood survival, development, and mean pupal weight. Additionally, there were no biologically significant levels of adult mortality observed in any glyphosate treatment group. Significant effects were observed only in the fenoxycarb toxic reference group and included increased brood mortality and a decline in the numbers of bees and brood. Mean glyphosate residues in larvae were comparable at 4 days after spray application in the exposure study and also following dosing at a level calculated from the mean measured levels in pollen and nectar, showing the applicability and robustness of the approach for dose setting with honeybee brood studies. This study has developed a versatile and predictive approach for use in higher tier honeybee toxicity studies. It can be used to realistically quantify exposure of colonies to pesticides to allow the appropriate dose rates to be determined, based on realistic worst-case residues in pollen and nectar and estimated intake by the colony, as shown by the residue analysis. Previous studies have used the standard methodology developed primarily to identify pesticides with insect-growth disrupting properties of pesticide formulations, which are less reliant on identifying realistic exposure scenarios. However, this adaptation of the method can be used to determine dose-response effects of colony level exposure to pesticides with a wide range of properties. This approach would limit the number of replicated tunnel or field-scale studies that need to be undertaken to assess effects on honeybee brood and may be of particular benefit where residues in pollen and nectar are crop- and/or formulation-specific, such as systemic seed treatments and granular applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen M Thompson
- FERASand Hutton, York, United Kingdom
- Present address is Syngenta, Jealott's Hill International Research CentreBracknell, Berkshire, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Steve Norman
- Dow AgroSciencesAbingdon, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
- Present address is RidgewayEco, Innovation CentreMilton Park, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
| | - Philip Manson
- Cheminova A/SCardale Park, Harrogate, United Kingdom
| | - Peter Sutton
- Syngenta, Jealott's Hill International Research CentreBracknell, Berkshire, United Kingdom
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11
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Guidance on the risk assessment of plant protection products on bees (Apis mellifera, Bombus spp. and solitary bees). EFSA J 2013. [DOI: 10.2903/j.efsa.2013.3295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 200] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
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12
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