title: Characterization, chemometric evaluation, and human health-related aspects of essential and toxic elements in Italian honey samples by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.
abstract: Concentration values of 24 elements (Al, As, Ba, Be, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ge, Hg, Mn, Mo, Pb, Sb, Se, Sn, Sr, Ti, Tl, U, V, and Zn) were determined in 72 honey samples produced in Italy by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Considering the recommended established heavy metal daily intakes for humans, in this perspective, an equilibrated and ordinary honey consumption should not be considered matter of concerns for human health, even if particular attention should be addressed if honey is consumed by children, due to different maximum daily heavy metal intakes. Chemometric analysis of the results obtained highlights heavy metal content differences in honey samples obtained from notoriously polluted zones, confirming then that honey can be considered a bio-indicator of environmental pollution. Finally, Pearson coefficients highlighted correlations among element contents in honey samples.
authors.affiliation: Department of the Science of Agriculture, Food and Environment (SAFE), via Napoli 25, 71122, Foggia, Italy. maurizio.quinto@unifg.it.
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0412-6551
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Quinto
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Puglia e della Basilicata, Via Manfredonia 20, 71121, Foggia, Italy.
authors.forename: Oto
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Miedico
authors.affiliation: Department of the Science of Agriculture, Food and Environment (SAFE), via Napoli 25, 71122, Foggia, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Spadaccino
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Puglia e della Basilicata, Via Manfredonia 20, 71121, Foggia, Italy.|Center for Biomedicine, EURAC Research, Via Galvani 31, 39100, Bolzano, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Paglia
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Puglia e della Basilicata, Via Manfredonia 20, 71121, Foggia, Italy.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mangiacotti
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Natural Resource of the Changbai Mountain and Functional Molecular (Yanbian University), Ministry of Education, Park Road 977, Yanji City, Jilin Province, 133002, China.
authors.forename: Donghao
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of the Science of Agriculture, Food and Environment (SAFE), via Napoli 25, 71122, Foggia, Italy.
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Centonze
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Puglia e della Basilicata, Via Manfredonia 20, 71121, Foggia, Italy.
authors.forename: A Eugenio
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Chiaravalle
mesh_terms: D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity; D006722:Honey / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D013058:Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity*; D013057:Spectrum Analysis; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D014131:Trace Elements
keywords: Chemometric analysis; Environmental bio-monitoring; Food safety; Heavy metals; Honey; ICP-MS