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Mushtaq A, Khalid S, Noor MJ, Khanoranga. Honey Bee Products as Bio Indicator of Heavy Metals Pollution and Health Risk Assessment Through the Consumption of Multifloral Honey Collected in Azad Kashmir, Pakistan. Biol Trace Elem Res 2024:10.1007/s12011-024-04313-2. [PMID: 39066963 DOI: 10.1007/s12011-024-04313-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2024] [Accepted: 07/11/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
The study assessed the health risks associated with heavy metal ingestion and explored the use of honey bee products as a bio-indicator for heavy metal pollution. All honey bee products tested showed heavy metals, but some honey samples had concentrations exceeding permissible limits for Cd, Pb, Ni, and Cr. The mean concentrations of heavy metals (mg/kg) in the honey, propolis, bee wax, and bee pollen were Fe (1.32) > Zn (1.31) > Pb (0.46) > Ni (0.18) > Cr (0.16) > Cu (0.14) > Co (0.12) > Mn (0.05) > Cd (0.03), Fe (8) > Zn (1.13) > Mn (0.59) > Pb (0.13) > Ni (0.07) > Cu (0.06) > Co (0.05) > Cr (0.03) > Cd (0.02), Fe (1.31) > Pb (0.41) > Ni (0.407) > Zn(0.25) > Mn (0.12) > Co(0.10) > Cu (0.07) > Cr (0.05) > Cd (0.002), and Fe (2.2) > Zn (0.75) > Ni (0.25) > Pb (0.16) > Cu (0.05) > Mn (0.045) > Co (0.04) > Cr (0.01) > Cd(0.002), respectively. Similarly, the mean concentration of heavy metals (mg/kg) in the soil, flowers and pine pollen was Fe (539.08) > Zn (89.53) > Mn (66.91) > Ni (58.5) > Co (19.2) > Cr (11.42) > Pb (6.58) > Cu (5.71) > Cd (0.19), Fe (3.12) > Zn (0.95) > Mn (0.72) > Ni (0.29) > Cu (0.16) > Cr (0.14) > Pb (0.059) > Co (0.057) > Cd (0.003) and Fe (2.59) > Zn (1.75) > Mn (0.43) > Pb (0.34) > Co (0.1) > Cr (0.07) > Cu (0.06) > Cd (0.039) > Ni (0.03), respectively. The atomic absorption spectrophotometry procedure was validated through a recovery study and achieved accuracy through the limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ). The mean Bio concentration factor (BCF) indicated that the transfer from soil to honey was higher than from soil to flower. The metal pollution index (MPI) of the selected indicators was in descending order: soil > honey > flowers > propolis > pine pollen > beeswax > bee pollen. The hazard quotient (HQ) and hazard index (HI) were below one, showing no chronic health risk. The carcinogenic risk (CR) of Cd, Cr, and Ni in honey for children, male and female adults for the consumers exceeds the acceptable level, making Cd, Cr, and Ni the most concerning heavy metals in honey. The study suggests that regular monitoring of heavy metal pollution is essential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayesha Mushtaq
- Environmental Sciences Department Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
| | - Sofia Khalid
- Environmental Sciences Department Allama Iqbal Open University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Mehwish Jamil Noor
- Environmental Sciences Department Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
| | - Khanoranga
- Sardar Bahadur Khan Women's University, Quetta, Balochistan, Pakistan.
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Wise JP, Wise RM, Hoffert A, Wise JTF, Specht AJ. Elevated Metal Levels in U.S. Honeys: Is There a Concern for Human Health? Biol Trace Elem Res 2024:10.1007/s12011-024-04295-1. [PMID: 38995435 DOI: 10.1007/s12011-024-04295-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024]
Abstract
Honey is a bioactive food used for millennia to improve health and treat diseases. More recently, researchers employ honey as a tool to assess local environmental pollution. Honeybees effectively 'sample' their environment within a ~ 7 km radius, actively collecting nectar, pollen, and water to bring to their hive. Foraging honeybees also sample the air as dust particles accumulate on their pubescence, adding to the hive's contaminant load. Many studies from around the world report elevated metal levels in honey, with the most reports from Iran, Italy, and Turkey, but only two reports have measured metal levels in honey from the United States (U.S.). We report levels of 20 metals from 28 honeys collected from 15 U.S. states between 2022-2023. We then focus on four toxic metals recognized as hazards in foodstuffs when the concentrations are above safety recommendations - lead, cadmium, arsenic, and mercury. Two of these metals (lead and mercury) are regulated in honey by the European Union (EU), though the U.S. currently lacks defined regulations for metal levels in honey. We consider the levels of these toxic metals by state, then compare the U.S. mean honey level for these metals against the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI). Our results suggest U.S. honey have levels metal that exceed the PWTI and EU regulations and may be hazardous to human health. Further research is needed to determine if the effects of these toxic metal at measured levels outweigh the health benefits from consumption of honey.
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Affiliation(s)
- John P Wise
- Department of Pediatrics, Pediatrics Research Institute, University of Louisville, 570 S. Preston Street, Baxter I Building, Rm: 204F, Louisville, KY, 40202, USA.
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40202, United States.
| | - Rachel M Wise
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Annabelle Hoffert
- School of Health Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - James T F Wise
- Wise Laboratory of Nutritional Toxicology and Metabolism, School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA
- School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA
| | - Aaron J Specht
- School of Health Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
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Schmidlová S, Javůrková Z, Tremlová B, Hernik J, Prus B, Marcinčák S, Marcinčáková D, Štarha P, Čížková H, Kružík V, Bodor Z, Benedek C, Titěra D, Boržíková J, Pospiech M. Exploring the Influence of Soil Types on the Mineral Profile of Honey: Implications for Geographical Origin Prediction. Foods 2024; 13:2006. [PMID: 38998511 PMCID: PMC11241210 DOI: 10.3390/foods13132006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2024] [Revised: 06/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Honey contains a wide range of inorganic substances. Their content can be influenced, i.e., by the type of soil on which the bee pasture is located. As part of this study, the mineral profile of 32 samples of honey from hobby beekeepers from the Czech Republic wasevaluated and then compared with soil types in the vicinity of the beehive location. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to express the relationship between mineral substances and soil type. There was a high correlation between antroposol and Zn (R = 0.98), Pb (R = 0.96), then between ranker and Mn (0.95), then regosol and Al (R = 0.97) (p < 0.05). A high negative correlation was found between regosol and Mg (R = -0.97), Cr (R = -0.98) and between redzinas and Al (R = -0.97) (p < 0.05). Both positive and negative high correlations were confirmed for phaeozem. The CART method subsequently proved that the characteristic elements for individual soil types are B, Ca, Mg, Ni, and Mn. The soil types of cambisol, fluvisol, gleysol, anthrosol, and kastanozem had the closest relationship with the elements mentioned, and it can therefore be assumed that their occurrence indicates the presence of these soil types within the range of beehive location.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Schmidlová
- Department of Plant Origin Food Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic; (S.S.); (Z.J.); (B.T.)
| | - Zdeňka Javůrková
- Department of Plant Origin Food Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic; (S.S.); (Z.J.); (B.T.)
| | - Bohuslava Tremlová
- Department of Plant Origin Food Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic; (S.S.); (Z.J.); (B.T.)
| | - Józef Hernik
- Department of Land Management and Landscape Architecture, Faculty of Environmental Engineering and Land Surveying, University of Agriculture in Krakow, 31-120 Krakow, Poland; (J.H.); (B.P.)
| | - Barbara Prus
- Department of Land Management and Landscape Architecture, Faculty of Environmental Engineering and Land Surveying, University of Agriculture in Krakow, 31-120 Krakow, Poland; (J.H.); (B.P.)
| | - Slavomír Marcinčák
- Department of Food Hygiene, Technology and Safety, University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice, 041 81 Košice, Slovakia;
| | - Dana Marcinčáková
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice, 041 81 Košice, Slovakia;
| | - Pavel Štarha
- Department of Computer Graphics and Geometry, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Brno University of Technology, 616 69 Brno, Czech Republic;
| | - Helena Čížková
- Department of Food Preservation, Faculty of Food and Biochemical Technology, University of Chemistry and Technology, 160 00 Prague, Czech Republic; (H.Č.); (V.K.)
| | - Vojtěch Kružík
- Department of Food Preservation, Faculty of Food and Biochemical Technology, University of Chemistry and Technology, 160 00 Prague, Czech Republic; (H.Č.); (V.K.)
| | - Zsanett Bodor
- Department of Dietetics and Nutritional Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, Semmelweis University, 1088 Budapest, Hungary; (Z.B.); (C.B.)
| | - Csilla Benedek
- Department of Dietetics and Nutritional Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, Semmelweis University, 1088 Budapest, Hungary; (Z.B.); (C.B.)
| | - Dalibor Titěra
- Bee Research Institute, Maslovice-Dol 94, 252 66 Libcice nad Vltavou, Czech Republic;
| | - Jana Boržíková
- State Veterinary and Food Institute Dolný Kubín, Veterinary and Food Institute Košice, Hlinková 1, 043 65 Košice, Slovakia;
| | - Matej Pospiech
- Department of Plant Origin Food Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic; (S.S.); (Z.J.); (B.T.)
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Verzelloni P, Urbano T, Wise LA, Vinceti M, Filippini T. Cadmium exposure and cardiovascular disease risk: A systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 345:123462. [PMID: 38295933 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Revised: 12/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024]
Abstract
Exposure to toxic metals is a global public health threat. Among other adverse effects, exposure to the heavy metal cadmium has been associated with greater risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Nonetheless, the shape of the association between cadmium exposure and CVD risk is not clear. This systematic review summarizes data on the association between cadmium exposure and risk of CVD using a dose-response approach. We carried out a literature search in PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase from inception to December 30, 2023. Inclusion criteria were: studies on adult populations, assessment of cadmium exposure, risk of overall CVD and main CVD subgroups as endpoints, and observational study design (cohort, cross-sectional, or case-control). We retrieved 26 eligible studies published during 2005-2023, measuring cadmium exposure mainly in urine and whole blood. In a dose-response meta-analysis using the one-stage method within a random-effects model, we observed a positive association between cadmium exposure and risk of overall CVD. When using whole blood cadmium as a biomarker, the association with overall CVD risk was linear, yielding a risk ratio (RR) of 2.58 (95 % confidence interval-CI 1.78-3.74) at 1 μg/L. When using urinary cadmium as a biomarker, the association was linear until 0.5 μg/g creatinine (RR = 2.79, 95 % CI 1.26-6.16), after which risk plateaued. We found similar patterns of association of cadmium exposure with overall CVD mortality and risks of heart failure, coronary heart disease, and overall stroke, whereas for ischemic stroke there was a positive association with mortality only. Overall, our results suggest that cadmium exposure, whether measured in urine or whole blood, is associated with increased CVD risk, further highlighting the importance of reducing environmental pollution from this heavy metal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pietro Verzelloni
- CREAGEN, Environmental, Genetic and Nutritional Epidemiology Research Center, Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Teresa Urbano
- CREAGEN, Environmental, Genetic and Nutritional Epidemiology Research Center, Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Lauren A Wise
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Marco Vinceti
- CREAGEN, Environmental, Genetic and Nutritional Epidemiology Research Center, Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy; Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Tommaso Filippini
- CREAGEN, Environmental, Genetic and Nutritional Epidemiology Research Center, Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy; School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
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Cucu AA, Pașca C, Cucu AB, Moise AR, Bobiş O, Dezsi Ș, Blaga Petrean A, Dezmirean DS. Evaluation of the Main Macro-, Micro- and Trace Elements Found in Fallopia japonica Plants and Their Traceability in Its Honey: A Case Study from the Northwestern and Western Part of Romania. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 13:428. [PMID: 38337961 PMCID: PMC10857060 DOI: 10.3390/plants13030428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Fallopia japonica (Japanese knotweed, Reynoutria japonica or Polygonum cuspidatum) is considered an extremely invasive plant worldwide and a bioindicator of heavy metals. Yet, its potential as a crop for honeybees is still underevaluated. This study employs atomic absorption spectrometry to quantitatively analyze the concentration of macro-elements, namely, calcium (Ca), potassium (K) and magnesium (Mg); micro-elements, such as copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn) and selenium (Se); and trace elements, i.e., cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni) and lead (Pb) in different anatomic parts of Fallopia japonica (FJ) plants (roots, rhizomes, stems, leaves) and their traceability into honey. This research encompasses a thorough examination of samples collected from the northwestern and western part of Romania, providing insights into their elemental composition. The results showed that the level of trace elements decreases in terms of traceability in honey samples (Pb was not detected in any of the analyzed samples, while Cd had a minimum content 0.001 mg/kg), ensuring its quality and health safety for consumption. Moreover, the data generated can function as a valuable resource to explore the plant's positive eco-friendly impacts, particularly in relation to its honey.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra-Antonia Cucu
- Faculty of Animal Science and Biotechnology, University of Animal Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, 3-5 Calea Manastur St., 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (A.-A.C.); (A.R.M.)
| | - Claudia Pașca
- Faculty of Animal Science and Biotechnology, University of Animal Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, 3-5 Calea Manastur St., 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (A.-A.C.); (A.R.M.)
| | - Alexandru-Bogdan Cucu
- National Institute for Research and Development in Forestry (INCDS) “Marin Drăcea”, 400202 Braşov, Romania;
| | - Adela Ramona Moise
- Faculty of Animal Science and Biotechnology, University of Animal Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, 3-5 Calea Manastur St., 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (A.-A.C.); (A.R.M.)
| | - Otilia Bobiş
- Faculty of Animal Science and Biotechnology, University of Animal Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, 3-5 Calea Manastur St., 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (A.-A.C.); (A.R.M.)
| | - Ștefan Dezsi
- Faculty of Geography, Babeş-Bolyai University, 400084 Cluj-Napoca, Romania;
| | - Anamaria Blaga Petrean
- Department of Animal Production and Food Safety, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, 3-5 Calea Manastur St., 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania;
| | - Daniel Severus Dezmirean
- Faculty of Animal Science and Biotechnology, University of Animal Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, 3-5 Calea Manastur St., 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (A.-A.C.); (A.R.M.)
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