title: Distribution of sulfathiazole in honey, beeswax, and honeybees and the persistence of residues in treated hives.
abstract: This study was performed to evaluate the distribution and depletion of sulfathiazole in different beehive matrices: honey, honeybees, "pre-existing" honeycomb, "new" honeycomb, and capping wax. Sulfathiazole was dissolved in sugar syrup or directly powdered on the combs, the matrices were sampled at different time points, and sulfathiazole residues were quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. In honey, the higher concentration of sulfathiazole (180 mg kg(-1)) occurred 2 weeks after the last treatment in syrup. In beeswax, drug concentration was higher than in honey, particularly with powder administration, with a maximum level (340 mg kg(-1)) 3 days following the last treatment. The strongest contamination in honeybees (28 mg kg(-1)) was achieved with sulfathiazole administered in powder 3 days after the second treatment. The high persistence of sulfathiazole in the different beehive matrices suggests that it could be a reliable marker of previous treatments performed by beekeepers.
authors: Centro di Referenza Nazionale per l'Apicoltura, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie , Viale dell'Università 10, 35020 Legnaro (Padova), Italy.
authors: Marianna
authors: M
authors: Martinello
authors: Alessandra
authors: A
authors: Baggio
authors: Albino
authors: A
authors: Gallina
authors: Franco
authors: F
authors: Mutinelli
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000032:analysis*; D001516:Bees / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000187:drug effects; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004350:Drug Residues / Q000032:analysis*; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D006722:Honey / Q000032:analysis*; D000077589:Sulfathiazole; D013432:Sulfathiazoles / Q000032:analysis* / Q000494:pharmacology; D014885:Waxes / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D013432:Sulfathiazoles; D014885:Waxes; C038228:beeswax; D000077589:Sulfathiazole