Effect of disinfectant Sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) on honey bees

Disinfectants are chemicals that are used to prevent infection or contamination by microorganisms (fungi, bacteria including viruses) or drugs that contain toxins to kill germs. The types of disinfectants are Sodium hypochlorite, alcohol, lodin, formalin, phenol and others. Sodium hypochlorite is a popular type of disinfectant used because of its ability to kill germs. When the world was struck by the Covid 19 pandemic, some people use sodium hypochlorite as one of the disinfectants that is expected to prevent the spread of Covid 19. The use of pesticides including disinfectants to be safe must be based on six correct, namely (1) right on target, (2) right quality, (3) right type of pesticide, (4) right time, (5) right dosage or concentration, and (6) right method of use. The big question is whether the use of Sodium hypochlorite as a disinfectant to prevent the spread of Covid 19 has fulfilled these six precisely. The use of disinfectants if they do not meet these 6 conditions will certainly cause other negative impacts which are very worrying. One right thing to consider is dosage or concentration. If the use of disinfectants does not meet these rules, it will have a negative impact not only on humans but on the environment such as useful insects. The negative impact must be proven so that it is not only opinion or rhetoric. Following are the results of research on the effect of Sodium hypochlorite concentration on the death of pollinating insects (bees) that are very useful for the environment. The study was conducted in a laboratory using the Randomized Rancanagan (RAL) method with 5 treatments including controls that were repeated 5 times. The treatments used are various concentrations of Sodium hypochlorite dissolved in water, the treatment is control (water), concentrations of 1%, 0.5%, 0.1%, and 0.05%. All tools are sprayed on the bees (as many as 5 ekeals per treatment) with the same volume. Observations were made at 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 20 minutes and 25 minutes. The results showed that at 5 minutes the bees were sprayed with 0.5% Sodium hypochlorite and 1% had died of 0.25 and 0.5, respectively. Bees experienced all deaths (5 individuals) at 25 minutes at concentrations of 1% and 0.5%, while at concentrations of 0.1% they died 4.75% and the lowest at a concentration of 0.05% were 1.25%. Based on this it can be concluded if Sodium hypochlorite is used at a concentration of 0.1% or more can kill pollinating insects (bees) on a laboratory scale. With this real data, we can refer to references to use disinfectants appropriately (6 precisely) especially right concentrations so that our good desire to prevent the spread of Covid 19 does not have a negative impact on other things.