Study on the Interaction Between Nucleic Acids and Imidacloprid and Its Application

The determination of imidacloprid with DNA via a resonance light scattering (RLS) technique was developed. The RLS of DNA was remarkably quenched after adding imidacloprid in aqueous medium of pH 2.10. An RLS peak at 311 nm was found, and the quenched intensity of RLS at this wavelength was proportional to the concentration of imidacloprid. The linear range of the calibration curve was approximately 0.02–2 μg/mL with the detection limit (S/N = 3) of 0.02 ng/mL. The imidacloprid in river water, cucumbers, and apple samples was determined. The recovery rates were in the range of 91.9% to 95.20%, 97.2% to 111.3%, and 94.5% to 114.8%, respectively. The mechanism of the reaction between imidacloprid and DNA is also discussed.