Nitenpyram in tea: Eco-friendly detection methodology and residue behavior

Abstract

Studies on nitenpyram determination and behavior within tea remain limited despite its widespread use as a neonicotinoid. An organic-saving analytical approach tailored for the detection of nitenpyram in tea was established. Nitenpyram was extracted by boiling water and cleaned up by Cleanert PCX solid-phase. The average recoveries were 75.1–94.5 %, with relative standard deviations (RSDs) of 0.7–8.6 % for saving 34.5–88.6 % organic solvent. The limits of quantification (LOQs) were 0.002 mg·kg−1 in fresh tea shoots, 0.005 mg·kg−1 in made tea, and 0.001 mg·L-1 in tea brew, satisfying the current minimum Maximum Residue Limit (MRL). Nitenpyram dissipated rapidly with half-lives of 1.2–1.4 days at the recommended dosage (27 g a.i. ha−1) in two locations. Remarkably, 20–110 % of nitenpyram was leached out from made tea in different brewing modes. This work provides insights into nitenpyram’s rational application in tea cultivation and offers considerations to institutions tasked with unestablished MRLs in tea.