Lethal effects of Cr(III) alone and in combination with propiconazole and clothianidin in honey bees

• Published in: Chemosphere (Oxford) Vol. 191; pp. 365 - 372
• Main Authors: Sgolastra, Fabio, Blasioli, Sonia, Renzi, Teresa, Tosi, Simone, Medrzycki, Piotr, Molowny-Horas, Roberto, Porrini, Claudio, Braschi, Ilaria
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01-01-2018
• Subjects: Animals; Apis mellifera; Bees; Chromium - chemistry; Chromium - toxicity; Drug Interactions; Ecotoxicology; Guanidines - chemistry; Guanidines - pharmacokinetics; Guanidines - toxicity; Heavy metals; Insecticides - toxicity; Neonicotinoids - chemistry; Neonicotinoids - pharmacokinetics; Neonicotinoids - toxicity; Pesticides; Pesticides - toxicity; Pollution; Synergism/antagonism; Thiazoles - chemistry; Thiazoles - pharmacokinetics; Thiazoles - toxicity; Triazoles - chemistry; Triazoles - pharmacokinetics; Triazoles - toxicity; Apis mellifera; Pollution; Ecotoxicology; Synergism/antagonism; Heavy metals; Pesticides
• ISSN: 0045-6535; 1879-1298
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2017.10.068

Several anthropogenic contaminants, including pesticides and heavy metals, can affect honey bee health. The effects of mixtures of heavy metals and pesticides are rarely studied in bees, even though bees are likely to be exposed to these contaminants in both agricultural and urban environments. In this study, the lethal toxicity of Cr alone and in combination with the neonicotinoid insecticide clothianidin and the ergosterol-biosynthesis-inhibiting fungicide propiconazole was assessed in Apis mellifera adults. The LD50 and lowest benchmark dose of Cr as Cr(NO3)3, revealed a low acute oral toxicity on honey bee foragers (2049 and 379 mg L−1, respectively) and the Cr retention (i.e. bee ability to retain the heavy metal in the body) was generally low compared to other metals. A modified method based on the binomial proportion test was developed to analyse synergistic and antagonistic interactions between the three tested contaminants. The combination of an ecologically-relevant field concentration of chromium with clothianidin and propiconazole did not increase bee mortality. On the contrary, the presence of Cr in mixture with propiconazole elicited a slight antagonistic effect.
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•Low acute oral toxicity of chromium on adults of honey bee foragers.•Chromium retained by bee body was 20–30% of the quantity ingested.•No synergistic effect between chromium and propiconazole or clothianidin.•Slight antagonism between chromium and propiconazole.