Microwave-assisted sample preparation of Hungarian raw propolis in quartz vessels and element analysis by ICP-OES and ICP-MS for geographical identification

Potentially toxic trace elements in bee bread, propolis, beeswax and royal jelly - A review of the literature and dietary risk assessment

Scientific evidence suggests that apicultural products accumulate pollutants present in the hive environment, thus, they can be used as bioindicators. However, our understanding on the food safety implications of the presence of potentially toxic trace elements in these products remains incomplete. In our study, available data on the trace metal content of bee bread, propolis, beeswax and royal jelly, as well as their possible sources are reviewed. Furthermore, dietary risk assessments were conducted for elements that do not have any biological role in humans by comparing the estimated exposures with official reference values. In the case of elements with genotoxic carcinogen potential, the margin of exposure (MoE) approach was applied. The observed concentration ranges vary over a wide range for Fe (0.94-2125.20 mg/kg), Zn ( Collapse

Key Words

• Apicultural product
• Bioindicator
• Contaminant
• Heavy metal
• Margin of exposure
• Trace metal

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MESH Headings

• Humans
• Trace Elements/analysis
• Propolis
• Metals, Heavy/analysis
• Lead
• Environmental Monitoring
• Risk Assessment
• Soil Pollutants/analysis

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Affiliation(s)

Rita Végh Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Department of Nutrition, 1118, Budapest, Somlói út 14-16., Hungary
Mariann Csóka Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Department of Nutrition, 1118, Budapest, Somlói út 14-16., Hungary
Zsuzsanna Mednyánszky Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Department of Nutrition, 1118, Budapest, Somlói út 14-16., Hungary
László Sipos Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Department of Postharvest, Commercial and Sensory Science, 1118, Budapest, Villányi út 29-43., Hungary; Institute of Economics, Centre of Economic and Regional Studies, Loránd Eötvös Research Network, 1097, Budapest, Tóth Kálmán Utca 4., Hungary.

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Assessing the Health Risk and the Metal Content of Thirty-Four Plant Essential Oils Using the ICP-MS Technique

Natural ecosystems are polluted with various contaminants, and among these heavy metals raise concerns due to their side effects on both environment and human health. An investigation was conducted on essential oil samples, comparing similar products between seven producers, and the results indicated a wide variation of metal content. The recommended limits imposed by European Union regulations for medicinal plants are exceeded only in Mentha × pipperita (Adams, 0.61 mg/kg). Except for Thymus vulgaris, the multivariate analysis showed a strong correlation between toxic and microelements (p < 0.001). We verified plant species−specific bioaccumulation patterns with non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis. The model showed that Adams, Doterra, Hypericum, and Steaua Divina essential oils originated from plants containing high micro and macroelement (Cu, Mn, Mg, Na) levels. We noted that the cancer risk values for Ni were the highest (2.02 × 10−9−7.89 × 10−7). Based on the target hazard quotient, three groups of elements were associated with a possible risk to human health, including As, Hg, and Cd in the first group, Cr, Mn, Ni, and Co in the second, and Zn and Al in the third. Additionally, the challenge of coupling inter-element relationships through a network plot analysis shows a considerable probability of associating toxic metals with micronutrients, which can address cumulative risks for human consumers.