One sampler to see it all: The use of APIStrips for beehive characterization and pesticide residue evaluation based on mass spectrometry.

Environmental monitoring is crucial for assessing the overall state of the ecosystems in terms of contaminant impact and chemical landscape. The use of honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies considerably eases the sampling activities, as honey bees are exposed to a wide range of substances that are transported and accumulated within the beehives. In this work, combining low-resolution and high-resolution mass spectrometry, the APIStrip passive sampler has been employed to evaluate the presence of pesticide residues and the overall characterization of beehive environments.

From sound check to encore: A journey through high-resolution mass spectrometry-based food analyses and metabolomics.

This manuscript presents a comprehensive review of high-resolution mass spectrometry in the field of food analysis and metabolomics. We have followed the historical evolution of metabolomics, its associated techniques and technologies, and its increasing role in food science and research. The review provides a critical comparison and synthesis of tentative identification guidelines proposed for over 15 years, offering a condensed resource for researchers in the field.

Beyond helium: hydrogen as a carrier gas in multiresidue pesticide analysis in fruits and vegetables by GC-MS/MS.

In this comprehensive study, we evaluated the feasibility of using hydrogen instead of helium as a carrier gas in a GC-MS/MS system for pesticide residue analysis, spanning three matrices: pepper, tomato, and zucchini. Initial assessments focused on the ion source's chemical inertness, employing nitrobenzene as a benchmark to monitor the hydrogenation process. A method with a duration of less than 12 minutes was developed, achieving good chromatographic peak resolution attributable to the enhanced chromatographic performance of hydrogen as a carrier gas.

Environmental assessment of PAHs through honey bee colonies - A matrix selection study.

The steady conditions of temperature, humidity and air flux within beehives make them a valuable location for conducting environmental monitoring of pollutants such as PAHs. In this context, the selection of an appropriate apicultural matrix plays a key role in these monitoring studies, as it maximizes the information that will be obtained in the analyses while minimizing the inaccurate results. In the present study, three apicultural matrices (honey bees, pollen and propolis) and two passive samplers (APIStrips and silicone wristbands) are compared in terms of the number and total load of PAHs detected in them.

Method optimisation for large scope pesticide multiresidue analysis in bee pollen: A pilot monitoring study.

Pesticide contamination in emerging foods and supplements is currently a topic of great interest. This study focused on the evaluation of pesticide residues in commercial bee pollen samples to evaluate the risk associated with their consumption. To this end, an automated clean-up method for the pesticide extracts of bee pollen was developed.

Comparison of APIStrip passive sampling with conventional sample techniques for the control of acaricide residues in honey bee hives.

Western honey bees are very sensitive bioindicators for studying environmental conditions, hence frequently included in many investigations. However, it is very common in both research studies and health surveillance programs to sample different components of the colony, including adult bees, brood and their food reserves. These practices are undoubtedly aggressive for the colony as a whole, and may affect its normal functioning and even compromise its viability.

Exploring sorption of pesticides and PAHs in microplastics derived from plastic mulch films used in modern agriculture.

The sorption and vector effect of microplastics on the transfer of pesticides and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), as well as its impact on agriculture remain largely unexplored. This comparative study is first to investigate the sorption behavior of different pesticides and PAHs at environmentally realistic concentrations by model microplastics and microplastics derived from polyethylene mulch films. Sorption was found to be up to 90% higher in the case of microplastics derived from mulch films as opposed to pure polyethylene microspheres.

Identification of novel unique mānuka honey markers using high-resolution mass spectrometry-based metabolomics.

Mānuka honey is a valuable commodity produced by bees foraging the flowers of Leptospermum scoparium, a bush native to New Zealand and Australia. Due to its high value and proven health benefits, authenticity fraud in the sale of this food is a significant risk, as recounted in the literature. Four compulsory natural products must be present at minimum concentrations to authenticate mānuka honey (3-phenyllactic acid, 2'-methoxyacetophenone, 2-methoxybenzoic acid, and 4-hydroxyphenyllactic acid).

Enhancing the environmental monitoring of pesticide residues through Apis mellifera colonies: Honey bees versus passive sampling.

The use of apicultural matrices for the environmental monitoring of pesticides is a widely employed approach that facilitates to a great extent the sampling procedures. Honey bees are one of the most commonly employed matrices in these studies due to their abundance in the colonies and their direct contact with the beehive and the environment. However, the analysis of this matrix is associated to a lack of representativity of the contaminants accumulated within the beehive, due mainly to the limited number of honey bees that are sampled and analyzed compared to the population in a hive.

Collision cross-section as a universal molecular descriptor in the analysis of PFAS and use of ion mobility spectrum filtering for improved analytical sensitivities.

The massive usage of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), as well as their high chemical stability, have led to their ubiquitous presence in environmental matrices and direct human exposure through contaminated food, particularly fish. In the analysis of this large group of substances, the use of ion mobility coupled to mass spectrometry is of particular relevance because it uses an additional descriptor, the collision cross-section (CCS), which results in increased selectivity. In the present work, the CCS of 24 priority PFAS were experimentally obtained, and the reproducibility of these measurements was evaluated over seven weeks.

Cooking food in microwavable plastic containers: in situ formation of a new chemical substance and increased migration of polypropylene polymers.

Microwavable plastic food containers can be a source of toxic substances. Plastic materials such as polypropylene polymers are typically employed as safe materials in food packaging, but recent research demonstrates the migration of plastic substances or their by-products to food simulants, to foodstuff, and, more recently, to the human body through food consumption. However, a thorough evaluation of foodstuff in food contact materials under cooking conditions has not yet been undertaken.

Environmental monitoring study of pesticide contamination in Denmark through honey bee colonies using APIStrip-based sampling.

Due to their extensive use in both agricultural and non-agricultural applications, pesticides are a major source of environmental contamination. Honey bee colonies are proven sentinels of these and other contaminants, as they come into contact with them during their foraging activities. However, active sampling strategies involve a negative impact on these organisms and, in most cases, the need of analyzing multiple heterogeneous matrices.

Dissipation and cross-contamination of miticides in apiculture. Evaluation by APIStrip-based sampling.

The active substances coumaphos, tau-fluvalinate and amitraz are among the most commonly employed synthetic miticides to control varroa infestations in apiculture. These compounds can persist inside the beehive matrices and can be detected long time after their application. The present study describes the application of a new passive sampling methodology to assess the dissipation of these miticides as well as the cross-contamination in neighboring beehives.

Presence of anthraquinone in coffee and tea samples. An improved methodology based on mass spectrometry and a pilot monitoring programme.

Anthraquinone has been linked to potential adverse effects on human health and the environment. The most commonly employed methods for the analysis of coffee and tea cause the extraction of matrix interferents such as the methylxanthines caffeine and theobromine, which hinder the analysis of anthraquinone. A new manual extraction method - using ethyl acetate as the extraction solvent with a dispersive solid-phase extraction clean-up step based on primary-secondary amines - has been developed.

APIStrip, a new tool for environmental contaminant sampling through honeybee colonies.

Honeybee colonies are proven bio-samplers in their foraging area, as organic contaminants such as pesticides are continuously deposited in their hives. However, the use of honeybee colonies for the biomonitoring of contaminants requires the sampling of biological matrices such as bees, pollen, honey or beeswax. This active sampling alters the colonies, especially in the case of frequent sampling intervals.

Pesticide residues evaluation of organic crops. A critical appraisal.

In the last decade, the consumption trend of organic food has increased dramatically worldwide. Since only a few pesticides are authorized in organic crops, concentrations are expected to range at zero or ultra-trace levels. In this context, the aim of the present study was to investigate the need for an improvement in the residue controls at very low concentrations (<0.

Distribution of chemical residues in the beehive compartments and their transfer to the honeybee brood.

Honeybee (Apis mellifera) is one of the most important crop and wild plant pollinators, playing an essential role in the agricultural production and the natural ecosystems. However, the number of honeybee colonies is decreasing alarmingly, which has motivated extensive research on the factors affecting their development and survival in some regions. Honeybees' exposure to pesticides and other chemicals has been identified as one of the causes of their decline.

Supercritical Fluid Chromatography and Gas Chromatography Coupled to Tandem Mass Spectrometry for the Analysis of Pyrethroids in Vegetable Matrices: A Comparative Study.

This study describes a comprehensive comparison between supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) and gas chromatography (GC) coupled to mass spectrometry for the analysis of pyrethroids in vegetable matrices. The ionization process used was electrospray ionization (ESI) in SFC and electron ionization in GC. In general, liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry with ESI sources provides poor results for pyrethroid detection, as described in previous literature.

Supercritical fluid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry for the analysis of pesticide residues in dried spices. Benefits and drawbacks.

This study describes the high sensitivity and the reduced ion suppression and matrix effect that can be achieved by supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) in the analysis of dried spices as complex matrices. Samples selected for the evaluation were cayenne and black pepper, which are representative of complex dried spices. To carry out the evaluation of this technique, blank samples were fortified with a solution containing 162 pesticides at two concentration levels (50 and 200 μg kg).