Monitoring of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in bees (Apis mellifera) and honey in urban areas and wildlife reserves.
The honeybee is a good biological indicator that quickly reflects chemical impairment of the environment by its high mortality and the presence of pollutants in its body or in beehive products. In this work the honeybee (Apis mellifera) and honey were used to detect the presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in several areas with different degrees of environmental pollution. All sampling sites showed the presence of PAHs. Benzo(a)pyrene was never detected. Fluorene, phenanthrene, anthracene, fluoranthene, benz(a)anthracene, benzo(b)fluoranthene, and benzo(k)fluoranthene were the PAHs detected in bees, whereas the honey contained only phenanthrene, anthracene, and chrysene. Phenanthrene showed the highest mean values in honeybees and honey. Independent from the season and location the pattern of PAHs in honeybees and honey was dominated by the presence of the lowest molecular weight PAHs. Furthermore, the mean PAH concentrations in honey samples were lower than those reported in honeybees, and no positive correlation was found between the compounds detected in bees and those in honey.
Perugini
Monia
M
Department of Food Science, University of Teramo, Viale Crispi 212, Teramo, Italy. mperugini@unite.it
Di Serafino
Gabriella
G
Giacomelli
Alessandra
A
Medrzycki
Piotr
P
Sabatini
Anna Gloria
AG
Persano Oddo
Livia
L
Marinelli
Enzo
E
Amorena
Michele
M
D000818:Animals; D001516:Bees / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000187:drug effects; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity; D006722:Honey / Q000032:analysis*; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity
D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons