Pesticides are chemical compounds that are produced deliberately to control weeds, parasites, pests and diseases of cultural plants. Unfortunately, pesticides affect not only insects, but also on beneficial insects-pollinators – bees. Especially dangerous for bees two classes of pesticides: insecticides (active against insect pests) and acaricides (active against mites). In Russia today is used more than 350 drugs of these classes.

In recent years in many countries has greatly reduced populations of both wild and domesticated bees. The main cause of death of insects is recognized as incorrect handling of agricultural fields with pesticides. Since bees are important for the economy of insects and provide production-thirds of all foods on the planet, experts concerned with the situation. The problem is exacerbated by the lack of fast and cheap methods for the determination of pesticides in the body of the dead bees. For the legal confirmation of the poisoning of insects with chemicals is needed today expensive procedures.

Scientists of the Rosselkhoznadzor subordinate fgbi "VGNKI" are currently developing a universal method for the determination of pesticide residues in food, animal feed and other objects. Research staff have tested this method for the detection of pesticides in the body of the dead bees.

The method is based on the use of technology QuEChERS sample preparation and gas chromatography with mass-spectrometric detection a high resolution. QuEChERS is a new technology that quickly, accurately, and effectively remove residual amounts of organic compounds of different classes. Using new techniques scientists with high accuracy revealed a quantity of the insecticide fipronil and the Tao of fluvalinate in the body of bees.

"In Russia there is a practical need to create methods that simultaneously determine a large number of pesticides with sufficient sensitivity and selectivity, – commented the chief developer of the new methods of the fgbi "VGNKI" senior scientific officer Alexander Koushkani. – We now just create a universal, fast and cheap method".