Abstract
Harmful agrochemicals are exterminating ecosystems. Beekeepers across the United States lost forty-four percent of their honey bee colonies during the year spanning April 2015 to April 2016, according to the latest preliminary results of an annual nationwide survey. Fertilizers, pesticides, and feed supplements widely used within commercial agriculture are under investigation. Honey bees are exposed to high levels of pesticides used in crops. Organophosphates are among the most toxic pesticides to bees, persistently causing paralysis and death. Pesticides are absorbed and transported throughout plants during pollination causing chronic exposure of sub lethal doses. Monitoring and reporting pesticides in the environment will provide insight in protecting its inhabitants. Fabrication of microelectromechanical devices (MEMS) are the solution; composed of microfabricated mechanical and electrical parts. MEMS devices are ideal due to their micro footprint and enhanced performance on a miniature scale. Research and detection systems in this thesis provide the backbone for future MEMS, chemical analysis, and monitoring solutions for the declining fatality rate of insects due to these chemicals, specifically honey bees.