> Due to its excellent miticidal activity, amitraz is widely used in apiculture for the obligatory annual control of Varroa destructor. In beehives, amitraz is used in the form of smoke or vapour (Marchetti and Barbattini 1984). The lack of residues in honey is related to the instability of amitraz in an acidic medium like honey (Berzas Nevado et al. 1990). According to EMEA (European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products) residues of amitraz in honey were stable for up to 4 months when samples were stored at – 20°C. Amitraz also does not remain stable in beeswax (Wallner 1999; Korta et al. 2001). It degrades over a period of 2–4 weeks in honey, but in beeswax it completely degrades within 1 day (Korta et al. 2001). 

> 

> On the other hand, this acaricide is easily hydrolysed to toxic 2,4-dimethylaniline (2,4-DMA) and various products containing the 2,4- DMA moiety (Jimnez et al. 2002). Unlike amitraz, its degradation products are stable in honey and can be found as residues in food and in surface water samples (Corta et al. 1999). Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) in honey is 0.2 mg/kg as defined in No. 2377/90/EC regulation for amitraz. On the other hand, no MRL is fixed for beeswax even when it is used for pharmaceutical purposes, food packaging or cosmetics. In honey collected from colonies treated with amitraz, varroacide residues can be found below the MRL value (Floris et al. 2001; Martel et al. 2007; Lodesani et al. 2008).

> 

> Exposure to amitraz would be expected to pose a greater hazard to pet owners, agricultural workers and beekeepers because of the continual exposure to this acaricide. Therefore, it is very important to evaluate possible genotoxic effects of amitraz in view of health protection.



Radakovic M, Stevanovic J, Djelic N, Lakic N, Knezevic-Vukcevic J, Vukovic-Gacic B and Stanimirovic Z 2013 Evaluation of the DNA damaging effects of amitraz on human lymphocytes in the Comet assay. J. Biosci. 38 53–62] DOI 10.1007/s12038-012-9287-2 



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