CHARACTERIZATION AND MONITORING OF AMITRAZ DEGRADATION PRODUCTS IN HONEY

Capillary gas chromatography in combination with atomic emission and e lectron impact-chemical ionization mass spectrometry detectors have be en used to detect amitraz degradation products in honey storage, chara cterize their structure, and evaluate their occurrence over a 100 day period, To this end, honey samples were extracted with an 8:2 v/v n-he xane/acetone mixture. Amitraz was found to be rapidly decomposed into five related compounds, of which N-(2,4-dimethylphenyI)formamide was t he most abundant and persistent.