Acaricide residues in honey and wax after treatment

Abstract – 

> Acaricide residues were assessed in French commercial beeswax using newly developed liquid and gas chromatography methods. Most of the commercial wax samples and all samples taken during the industrial recycling process contained coumaphos and fluvalinate. Amitraz and coumaphos residue levels were also followed in several hives experimentally treated with Asuntol_50 or Apivar_, two products used in France to control varroa infestation. After the Asuntol_50 treatment, coumaphos residues increased in honey and wax combs, persisted more than 30 days in honey and one year or more in comb wax. The half-life of coumaphos was 69 and 115–346 days in honey and comb wax respectively. Following Apivar_ treatment, amitraz was not detected in honey nor in wax. These results are consistent with and complete other studies: the use of coumaphos entails wax contamination which persists through commercial recycling. As this may be a threat for bee health, the use of Asuntol_50 should be avoided 

> Beeswax samples were collected from one factory to assess coumaphos and fluvalinate residues before and after wax processing. In this factory, the wax originating from old combs provided by different beekeepers is pooled in 500– 1000 kg containers and heated at 85–90C for 2 hours. 

> Residues levels measured in foundation wax from old combs indicate that coumaphos and fluvalinatewere not degraded despite heating during manufacturing.  

> Colonies that had not been treated with Perizin_ for up to 18 months still contain coumaphos Wax newly produced by bees may contain coumaphos residues because there might be an exchange of coumaphos between the combs and the bee’s cuticle, which contains hydrocarbons (Van Buren et al., 1992).  

> In conclusion, the contamination of the French commercial beeswax by coumaphos originates from the use of various nonauthorized preparations against Varroa destructor. Old combs from all origins arriving to The manufacturers are not systematically tested for coumaphos and are mixed. Furthermore, the coumaphos is not degraded by the heat treatment of wax. Following a treatment with Asuntol_50, coumaphos is very rapidly incorporated in wax mainly and honey. The half life of coumaphos in wax from the honeycombs is 115 days. 

Apidologie 38 (2007) 534–544 
c INRA, EDP Sciences, 2007 
DOI: 10.1051/apido:2007038
Available online at:
www.apidologie.org

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