Chemical Profile of Elements in the Stingless Bee Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides (Hymenoptera: Apidae).

Bees represent efficient bioindicators of environmental contamination, including elements that can accumulate in both biomes and bee-derived products. Therefore, the goal of this study was to evaluate the presence of metallic elements over the body surface of Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides workers from rural and urban areas from Caatinga in Brazil. Using SEM/XEDS (scanning electron microscope/energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy) identified magnesium (Mg), aluminum (Al), calcium (Ca), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), arsenic (As), molybdenum (Mo), cadmium (Cd), barium (Ba), and lead (Pb) in the corbiculae of bees. The areas had similar profiles, but As was characterized as a "trace element" in the agricultural area and "minor element" in the urban area. The presence of toxic elements such as As, Cd, and Pb indicates that both areas may be contaminated, revealing the importance of metallic elements microanalysis in native bee species for environmental biomonitoring.