title: Ionic profile of honey as a potential indicator of botanical origin and global environmental pollution.
abstract: Aim of this study was to determine by Ion Chromatography ions (Na(+), Ca(++), Mg(++), NH4(+), Cl(-), Br(-), SO4(2-), NO3(-), PO4(3-)) in honeys (honeydew and floral nectar honeys) from different Italian Regions and from countries of the Western Balkan area. The compositional data were processed by multivariate analysis (PCA and HCA). Arboreal honeydew honeys from the Western Balkans had higher concentrations (from two to three times) of some environmental pollutants (Br(-), SO4(2-) and PO4(3-) contents), due to industrial and agricultural activities, than those from Italian regions. The cationic profiles were very similar in both groups. Multivariate analysis indicated a clear difference between nectar honeys and arboreal/honeydew honeys (recognition of the botanical origin). These findings point to the potential of ionic constituents of honey as indicators of environmental pollution, botanical origin and authenticity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Milan, Via Golgi 19, 20133 Milan, Italy. paola.fermo@unimi.it
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fermo
authors.forename: Giangiacomo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Beretta
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Maffei Facino
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gelmini
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Piazzalunga
mesh_terms: D063368:Balkan Peninsula; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006722:Honey / Q000032:analysis*; D007477:Ions / Q000032:analysis; D015999:Multivariate Analysis
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D007477:Ions