Background: Honey is a synonymous of healthy food. Its quality is associated with the state of the environment. Although persistent chlorinated hydrocarbons are no longer produced nor used, their residues are still detected in the environment. Some of these compounds are carcinogenic to humans. Continuous exposure of bees to various types of chemicals impacts also their products. Therefore, knowledge of the degree of contamination of honey may have important implications for human health.
Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the degree of honey contamination with POPs.
Material and methods: Six species of honey were analyzed, as well as rape inflorescences and soil coming from the villages Peczerzyno and Przybysław in Western Pomerania, Poland. The scope of investigation included organochlorine pesticides: alpha-HCH, beta-HCH, gamma-HCH, heptachlor, aldrin, dieldrin, endrin, heptachlor epoxid isomer B, p,p'-DDT, o,p'-DDT, p,p'-DDE, p,p'-DDD, o,p'-DDD, dioxin-like non-ortho PCB congeners (PCB 77, PCB 81, PCB 126, PCB 169), dioxin-like mono-ortho PCB congeners (PCB 105, PCB 114, PCB 156, PCB 157) and indicator PCB congeners (PCB 28, PCB 52, PCB 101, PCB 118, PCB 138, PCB 153, PCB 180). Chromatographic separation was performed using gas chromatography (HP 6890) coupled with mass spectrometry (HP 5973).
Results: Among the analyzed organochlorine pesticides the highest concentration in honeys was noticed for heptachlor (3.89 ng/g mm). The content of indicator PCB congeners in honey ranged from below LOQ values to 0.02 ng/g w.w. The content of non- and mono-ortho PCB congeners in honey were relatively low, reaching a maximum 0.02 ng/g w.w.
Conclusions: The content of the analyzed organochlorine compounds in the material depended on the location of sampling sites, and the highest concentrations were found in rape inflorescences. The soil and rape inflorescences from Peczerzyno were the most contaminated with POPs, but it had no clear impact on the content of the compounds in honey. Buckwheat honey was significantly (p<0,05) least contaminated with POPs. The content of the examined POPs in honeys was low and safe for consumers health.