Ege University Application and Research Center For Testing and Analysis (EGE MATAL), Bornova, 35100, Izmir, Turkey.
Department of Crop and Animal Production, Vocational School, Giresun University, Espiye, 28600, Giresun, Turkey.
Biol Trace Elem Res. 2023 Mar;201(3):1488-1502. doi: 10.1007/s12011-022-03217-3. Epub 2022 Apr 1.
Honeybee pollens are good food sources in terms of their mineral contents and are specific to the regions they are collected. In addition, they may be used as bioindicators in the assessment of environmental pollution based on their potentially toxic element contents. In the present study, mineral element composition and potentially toxic element levels of honeybee pollen samples collected from various cities in East Black Sea Region of Turkey (18 samples) were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) after microwave assisted acid digestion. The method validation was performed by using CRM (Certified Reference Material-BCR®279-Sea Lettuce-Ulva lactuca) to evaluate the accuracy and precision. Elemental composition of honeybee pollens were detected within the following ranges (minimum-maximum, mg kg dry pollen); Mn (manganese): 11.579-117.349, Fe (Iron): 34.865-811.043, Zn (zinc): 17.707-56.223, Se (selenium): 0.422-0.722, Cr (chromium): 0.848-6.949, Cu (copper): 7.510-26.344, Mg (magnesium): 549.921-2149.716, Ca (calcium): 726.575-2201.837, Na (sodium): 36.518-120.283, Pb (lead): < 0.005-0.622, Cd (cadmium): 0.039-1.390, Ni (nickel): 2.317-21.710, and As (arsenic): 1.331-2.248. Recommended daily allowance, target hazard quotients, hazard index, and carcinogenic risk values of the pollens were calculated with the help of these results. In considering THQ values, pollens were determined to be safe for the consumption of both genders. Based on the carcinogenic risk calculation, most of the pollens examined in this study were categorized as moderately risky. Monitoring studies can be used to identify new sources of contamination or the origin and spread of a particular element. Hence, bee pollens can also be considered as potential bioindicators of toxic metal pollution. HIGHLIGHTS: • Mineral content and potentially toxic metal levels of 18 honeybee pollens were determined. • Recommended daily allowance (RDA) values were calculated. • The nutritional aspects of honeybee pollen samples were evaluated. • Hazard quotient (HQ), hazard index (HI), and carcinogenic risk (CR) estimation of honeybee pollens were assessed. • The potentiality of honeybee pollens as a bioindicator for pollution was discussed.
蜜蜂花粉在矿物质含量方面是很好的食物来源，并且因其采集的地区而具有特异性。此外，它们可以作为生物标志物，根据其潜在有毒元素的含量来评估环境污染。在本研究中，使用电感耦合等离子体质谱法（ICP-MS）对从土耳其东黑海地区（18 个样本）的不同城市采集的蜜蜂花粉样本进行了矿物元素组成和潜在有毒元素水平的测定，采用微波辅助酸消解法进行分析。通过使用 CRM（认证参考物质-BCR®279-海生菜-Ulva lactuca）评估准确性和精密度，对方法进行了验证。蜜蜂花粉的元素组成在以下范围内检测到（最小值-最大值，mg kg 干花粉）：Mn（锰）：11.579-117.349，Fe（铁）：34.865-811.043，Zn（锌）：17.707-56.223，Se（硒）：0.422-0.722，Cr（铬）：0.848-6.949，Cu（铜）：7.510-26.344，Mg（镁）：549.921-2149.716，Ca（钙）：726.575-2201.837，Na（钠）：36.518-120.283，Pb（铅）：<0.005-0.622，Cd（镉）：0.039-1.390，Ni（镍）：2.317-21.710，As（砷）：1.331-2.248。借助这些结果计算了花粉的每日推荐摄入量、目标危害系数、危害指数和致癌风险值。考虑到 THQ 值，确定这些花粉对两性的食用均安全。根据致癌风险计算，本研究中检查的大多数花粉被归类为中度风险。监测研究可用于识别新的污染来源或特定元素的来源和传播。因此，蜜蜂花粉也可以被视为有毒金属污染的潜在生物标志物。 亮点： • 测定了 18 种蜜蜂花粉的矿物质含量和潜在有毒金属水平。 • 计算了每日推荐摄入量（RDA）值。 • 评估了蜜蜂花粉样本的营养方面。 • 评估了蜜蜂花粉的危害系数（HQ）、危害指数（HI）和致癌风险（CR）。 • 讨论了蜜蜂花粉作为污染生物标志物的潜力。
