The use of pesticides in agriculture has increased dramatically
and undeniably during the last few decades. Imidacloprid [1-(6-
chloro-3-pyridylmethyl)-Nnitroimidazolodin-2-ylideneamine] is a
neonicotinoid insecticide from a new group of active ingredients
with novel mode of action (Kagabu et al., 1992). Worldwide consumption
of imidacloprid is increasing day by day due to its low
mammalian toxicity and high insecticidal effectiveness (Liu, Zheng,
& Gan, 2002). It acts as an agonist of acetylcholine by binding to
postsynaptic nicotinic receptor in the insect central nervous system,
causing the paralysis and death of insects (Iwasa, Motoyama,
Ambrose, & Michael Roe, 2004). Because of the possibility of the
extensive application of the neonicotinoid insecticides including
imidacloprid to agricultural operations, their residues may occur in