title: Validation of a QuECheRS method for analysis of neonicotinoids in small volumes of blood and assessment of exposure in Eurasian eagle owl (Bubo bubo) nestlings.
abstract: Neonicotinoid pesticides have gained great interest in the last years both for agricultural and domestic use. Since the information on their environmental distribution or the effects derived from exposure to ecosystems and biota is scarce, new analytical techniques are being developed for monitoring studies. In this sense, two extraction techniques based on QuEChERS (Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe) methodology to detect the neonicotinoids authorised in Spain (acetamiprid, clothianidin, dinotefuran, imidacloprid, thiacloprid, nitenpyram and thiamethoxam) were adapted and compared: a) using acetate buffer (AB); and b) using citrate buffer (CB). For detection and quantification, high performance liquid chromatography coupled with time of flight mass spectrometry (HPLC/TOF-MS) was used. The CB method provided a wide range of recoveries (68-134%) and accuracy (4-9%). The AB method provided good recoveries (59-76%, 59% corresponded to clothianidin) precision (4-11%) linearity (0.987-0.998%) and limit of quantification (2-10ng/mL) for all the compounds. To test the effectiveness of the technique, we analysed 30 blood samples of free-ranging nestlings of Eurasian eagle owl (Bubo bubo). The only compound detected, in one nestling from a dry land farming area, was imidacloprid, with a concentration of 3.28ng/mL. To our knowledge, this is the first study of neonicotinoid pesticides in free-ranging birds of prey using non-destructive samples, providing the first insight for biomonitoring studies. Further studies, including toxicokinetics and toxicodynamics, are recommended to assess the risk for these species.
authors.affiliation: Department of Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Taliansky-Chamudis
authors.affiliation: Department of Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain. Electronic address: pilargomez@um.es.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gómez-Ramírez
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecology and Hydrology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: León-Ortega
authors.affiliation: Department of Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: García-Fernández
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D000073943:Neonicotinoids / Q000097:blood*; D010575:Pesticides / Q000097:blood*; D013030:Spain; D020305:Strigiformes / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D000073943:Neonicotinoids; D010575:Pesticides
keywords: Biomonitoring; Bird of prey; Blood; HPLC/TOF-MS; Neonicotinoids; QuEChERS