Usefulness of bee bread and capped brood for the assessment of monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbon levels in the environment

Elucidating the Role of Honey Bees as Biomonitors in Environmental Health Research

Recently, the One Health concept, which recognizes the interconnectedness of environmental, animal, and human health, has gained popularity. To collect data on environmental pollutants potentially harmful to human health over time, researchers often turn to natural organisms known as biomonitors. Honey bees, in particular, prove to be exceptionally valuable biomonitors due to their capacity to accumulate pollutants from the air, soil, and water within a specific radius during their foraging trips. This systematic literature review summarizes the previous application of the bee species Apis mellifera in pollutant monitoring in articles published during the period of 2010-2020. Nineteen studies were included in this systematic literature review. Of these studies, the majority (n = 15) focused on the detection of heavy metals in honey bees and beehive products, while 4 studies focused on air pollution by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons or particulate matter. The matrix most often applied was the whole honey bee. The included studies demonstrated that honey bees and hive products deliver quantitative and qualitative information about specific pollutants. In this regard, the whole honey bee was found to be the most reliable biomonitor. We found that the included studies differed in design and the methods used. Standardized studies could foster a more consistent interpretation of the levels detected in beehive matrices from an environmental health perspective.

Modernization of the Public Transport Bus Fleet in the Context of Low-Carbon Development in Poland

The development of urban transport in recent years has become one of the most important issues related to improving the quality of life in Polish cities. Excessive pollution in the form of greenhouse gases and other harmful substances from buses affects people’s health as does the excessive noise. This article analysed the measures being taken to reduce emissions, and the results showed that it is possible to reduce CO2 emissions by more than 28 thousand megagrams (Mg) per annum. Policymakers in Poland should consider limiting electricity generation through coal combustion and recognize, at least temporarily, CNG/LNG-powered buses as low-carbon rolling stock and co-finance their purchase and the necessary infrastructure.