Pollution profiling in Italian honeys: Elements and microplastics as comprehensive indicators of environmental contamination and food safety

This study presents the first comprehensive analysis of Italian honeys, focusing on the dual contamination by inorganic elements and microplastics as indicators of environmental pollution and food safety. A total of 28 honey samples from diverse botanical and geographical origins across Italy, along with one extra-European sample (included to make a comparison with a sample produced outside Italian -and therefore European- Community controls), were analyzed using Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES), Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS), stereomicroscopy, and micro-FTIR. The analysis revealed significant variability in 30 macro- and microelement concentrations, influenced by both natural and anthropogenic sources. Only lead among the toxic elements examined is subject to a legal limit in honey and its concentrations ranged from below the detection limit to 0.300 mg·kg-1, with three samples exceeding the EU maximum allowable limit of 0.100 mg·kg-1. Meanwhile, essential macroelements such as potassium and rubidium showed patterns more closely tied to botanical origin. Microplastics were detected in 100 % of the analyzed samples, with an average contamination of 62 particles per kg of honey. Notably, approximately 20 % of MPs were smaller than 130 μm, a size range considered critical for translocation into human tissues. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) provided insights into the correlations between honey composition, botanical sources, and environmental factors, reinforcing honey's potential as a bioindicator of ecological contamination. In particular, a correlation among Pb and MP concentrations was identified, potentially ascribable both to a common source of Pb and MP or to the adsorption of Pb onto MP fragments. This work offers a novel perspective on the intersection of microplastic and inorganic pollutant contamination in honey, underscoring its implications for food safety, environmental monitoring, and public health.