Pesticide residues levels in honey from apiaries located of Northern Poland

Concentration levels of 30 pesticide residues were measured in honey samples collected from apiaries in northern part of Poland (Pomerania) using method based on the QuEChERS extraction followed by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry with electron spray ionization (LC–ESI–MS/MS). In 29% of the samples were found positive for at least some of the target compounds. Concentration of bifenthrin, fenpyroximate, methidathion, spinosad, thiamethoxam, and triazophos exceeded maximum residue levels (MRL) in five samples (11%), the kind of the residues being correlated to agriculture practices in the region. The maximum values of these pesticides were 14.5, 16.3, 25.7, 20.6, 20.2 and 20.3 ng/g respectively. Profenofos was the most abundant at concentration ranged from <LOQ to 17.2 ng/g.