Abstract:In this study, the residues of 8 neonicotinoid pesticides in the bee pollen samples collected from 66 different plant sources in China were investigated, and normal human dietary intake risk of these neonicotinoids was assessed according to the residue concentrations. The results showed that the detection rate of the bee pollen samples was 50.0%. Five new neonicotinoid pesticides were detected, including acetamiprid, imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, clothianidin and dinotefuran. Thiamethoxam had the highest detection rate (31.8%) and acetamiprid had the highest residual concentration (195.1 ng/g). There were significant differences in neonicotinoid residues among the bee pollen samples from four main plant sources: The detection rate of neonicotinoids in Camellia sinensis was significantly higher than the other three bee pollen samples, and the residual concentration of miscellaneous pollen was significantly higher than those from tea and oilseed, with the residue concentration decreasing in the order of miscellaneous pollen, buckwheat pollen, Camellia sinensis pollen and oilseed pollen. The residual neonicotinoids among the bee pollen samples from six major geographic regions were also different, which may be affected by the application approaches of neonicotinoid pesticides for different crops and in different regions in China. Human dietary intake risk assessment was performed according to the residual concentration of neonicotinoids. The results showed that the risk of neonicotinoid pesticide residues in bee pollen was acceptable (RQ <1%).
