Availability of Using Honeybees as Bioindicators of Pesticide Exposure in the Vicinity of Agricultural Environments in Taiwan

While pollinating, honeybees are subject to exposure to a variety of pesticides; with their characteristics of certain foraging distances, they could serve as bioindicators of pesticide exposure in a neighborhood. We conducted a study to assess availability by collecting and analyzing bee samples from 15 apiaries located in East Taiwan and dust samples from the adjacent environment, and by finding relations between both samples. Seventeen pesticides were selected for the analysis using gas or liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry, and eight (three insecticides, two herbicides, and three fungicides) were more frequently detected from bee or dust samples; the levels of these pesticides were mostly under 1000 ng/g. Significant correlation results (r ? 0.8) between residue concentrations in bees and in dust suggest that honeybees could be a good bioindicator for exposure to herbicides and fungicides within certain ranges. The pesticide contents of sick/dead bees were much higher than those of healthy counterparts regarding any pesticide type, with the mean total concentrations of 635 ng/g and 176 ng/g, respectively. We conclude that honeybees could be used as bioindicators of pesticide exposure; sick/dead bees could serve as a warning sign of the severity of pesticide pollution.

Automated summary

Honeybees, with their foraging characteristics, can serve as bioindicators of pesticide exposure in a neighborhood. In a study conducted in East Taiwan, bee samples from 15 apiaries and dust samples from the surrounding environment were collected and analyzed to assess availability and establish correlation between the two samples. The study found significant correlation between residue concentrations in bees and in dust, suggesting that honeybees can be good indicators for herbicide and fungicide exposure within certain ranges. Sick/dead bees had higher pesticide contents compared to healthy bees, indicating their use as a warning sign of pesticide pollution severity.