Examination of honeys and flowers as soil element indicators

Abstract

Detection of soil element deficiencies is time consuming, requiring a major commitment for field work and analysis. Bees concentrate some elements in their honey which could allow soil element concentrations to be predicted without having to take large numbers of soil samples. We measured 14 element concentrations in soil, sunflower, acacia flower and honey samples from two different regions of Hungary. Across sites, the elements with significant correlation coefficients between honey and soil concentrations, in descending order of probability, were Cu > Ba >Sr = Ni > Zn > Mn = Pb >As. Bioconcentration from soil to honey was similar for areas with acacia and sunflower flowers. In the macroelements, it was the greatest for K, S and P and least for Mg and Na, and in the microelements, greatest for B, then Zn, then Cu, then As, Mo and Sr and least for Fe, Ba, Mn and Pb. It is concluded that in acacia and sunflower-growing regions, honey can give an accurate estimate of soil element concentrations for Cu and Ba and provides relevant information for Sr, Ni, Zn, Mn, Pb and As.

Chemical Elements and the Quality of Mānuka (Leptospermum scoparium) Honey

“…Contrary to studies on other honeys [ 13 , 50 ], there were no correlations between the elemental composition of mānuka honey and elemental concentrations in soils. The only soil factor that correlated with honey MGO was soil NO 3 − ( r = −0.88, p < 0.05) ( Figure 4 ).…”

“…Soil is the ultimate source of many elements in the floral nectar [ 13 , 14 ]. The concentration of elements in honey is affected by soil characteristics, and honey composition can be used for geographical discrimination or as a soil element indicator [ 13 , 15 , 16 , 17 ]. The response of L. scoparium to soil properties is cultivar-dependent [ 18 ].…”

Graphical Discrimination of New Zealand Honey from International Honey Using Elemental Analysis

“…A recent study by Meister et al found no correlations between elemental concentrations in honey and soil in a set of mānuka honeys from New Zealand [ 15 ]. This is in contrast with studies from other geographical origins and floral sources [ 16 ].…”

Honey Bees and Associated Matrices as Biomonitors of Soil Trace Elements: Assessment of their Sensitivity in a Regional Rural Environment

“…The soil as a reservoir of TEs represents a suitable indicator for the contamination of terrestrial environments. Nevertheless, according to our literature survey, minimal research has reported or even attempted to identify a linear relationship between TE contents in soil and in bees and their products (Czipa et al, 2017;Kastrati et al, 2021;Rashed et al, 2009;Zarić et al, 2017). This lack of studies may be due to the complexity of the system soil → plant → bee → bee products, where multiple factors, transport pathways, and sources of TEs are expected.…”

“…Unfortunately, the sensitivity and detection capability of a biomonitor are usually poorly defined (at best) compared with instrumental techniques employing, for example, a signal‐to‐noise concept. Furthermore, a biomonitor's ability to detect environmental pollution is frequently related to categorical variables (Di Fiore et al, 2022; Dżugan et al, 2018; Gutiérrez et al, 2015; Lambert et al, 2012; Perugini et al, 2011), yet reference to continuous variables (Costa et al, 2019; Czipa et al, 2017; Goretti et al, 2020; Rashed et al, 2009) should be preferred. The performance of a biomonitor has been largely deduced from hives kept at sites of different land use, where industrialized and urban areas had been expected to exhibit higher levels of pollution than their natural and rural counterparts (Ćirić et al, 2021; Dżugan et al, 2018; Sadowska et al, 2019).…”