Detection of Carbamates in Honeybees and Bee-products of Karnataka State

Honeybee species like A. cerana, A. dorsata and A. florea are well distributed in Karnataka state. Monitoring of pesticides by honeybees and their products as biological indicators is of great importance because of their toxicity to human beings and potential hazard. The monitoring of pesticide residues in honey helps to assess the potential risk to consumers’ health, providing information on the pesticides used in the field crops. The indiscriminate use of pesticides in the agro ecosystems is the major environmental health concern. In the present investigation, 253 samples of honeybees, honey, pollen, brood and wax were collected in different zones of Karnataka during 2010-2013. The concentration of three pesticides like carbaryl carbofuran and methomyl belonging to carbamate group was determined through HPLC. Twenty samples were contaminated of which carbofuran and methomyl were detected in 16 and four samples respectively. Carbamates have one of the highest acute toxicities to humans among pesticides widely used on agri-horticultural crops due to its activity as a cholinesterase inhibitor and neurotoxicity. The study revealed that the agro and forest ecosystems of Karnataka has not been contaminated with high degree of pesticide residues as indicated by the bees and bee products except very low concentration in few areas of the state. There is an urgent need to monitor bee pollinator health as they are indispensible organism in the ecosystem and contributing for increased crop production and food security.