Supercritical fluid extraction of fluvalinate residues in honey. Determination by high-performance liquid chromatography.

A method for the analysis of fluvalinate residues in honey from beehives treated with this product to prevent varroatosis is described. The method involves supercritical fluid extraction with carbon dioxide and further analysis by high-performance liquid chromatography on a C18 reversed-phase column, acetonitrile-water (80:20) as mobile phase and detection at 254 nm. This method is simpler than the one in which extraction with organic solvents, thin-layer chromatography and gas chromatography is used.