Neonicotinoids are a class of insecticides widely used to protect fields as well as fruits and vegetables. Recently the use of these compounds became very controversial as they were pointed as one cause of the honeybees colony collapse disorder. Since pollination is essential for agriculture, extensive studies have been conducted to evaluate the impact of neonicotinoids on bee health. Following this the European Food Security Authoritiy (EFSA) limited the use of thiamethoxam, clothianidin and imidacloprid. Fipronil, a pesticide from a different chemical class, has been also banned by EFSA for maize seed treatment due to its high risk for honeybee health. In order to better understand the effect of these compounds on bees and their contamination in pollen and honey, a highly sensitive assay method was necessary.

A method was set up using Shimadzu Nexera X2 with LCMS-8060.