Foraging Honeybees (<i>Apis mellifera ligustica</i>) as Biocenosis Monitors of Pollution in Areas Affected by Cement Industry Emissions
Two areas affected by cement plant emissions, in an industrial district of Central Italy, were investigated by foraging honeybees (<i>Apis mellifera ligustica</i>) on the return to their hives, as an in situ biomonitor. The contamination was compared with that of a background reference a...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-02-01
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| Series: | Environments |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3298/10/2/34 |
| _version_ | 1797621115820965888 |
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| author | Bartolomeo Sebastiani Sara Mariucci Nicola Palmieri |
| author_facet | Bartolomeo Sebastiani Sara Mariucci Nicola Palmieri |
| author_sort | Bartolomeo Sebastiani |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Two areas affected by cement plant emissions, in an industrial district of Central Italy, were investigated by foraging honeybees (<i>Apis mellifera ligustica</i>) on the return to their hives, as an in situ biomonitor. The contamination was compared with that of a background reference area on the Central Apennine Mountains, quite far from the contamination sources. At all the sites, the bee colonies were stationary. One hundred seventy-seven compounds belonging to the class of polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) were positively identified by gas chromatographic and mass spectrometric techniques. For the first time, the presence of several unusual compounds on bee samples is highlighted. These include polycyclic aromatic sulfur heterocycles (PASHs), 1.55–35.63 ng/g d.w., compounds that, like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), 67.50–129.95 ng d.w., are classified as carcinogenic and/or mutagenic. In an attempt to identify the contribution of different and specific sources of these pollutants to the total pollution profile, the composition of aliphatic linear hydrocarbons was also examined. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T08:52:12Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c413cf32fe734e6a8d6246241853b15c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3298 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T08:52:12Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environments |
| spelling | doaj.art-c413cf32fe734e6a8d6246241853b15c2023-11-16T20:25:08ZengMDPI AGEnvironments2076-32982023-02-011023410.3390/environments10020034Foraging Honeybees (<i>Apis mellifera ligustica</i>) as Biocenosis Monitors of Pollution in Areas Affected by Cement Industry EmissionsBartolomeo Sebastiani0Sara Mariucci1Nicola Palmieri2Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, Via Elce di Sotto 8, 06123 Perugia, ItalyDepartment of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, Via Elce di Sotto 8, 06123 Perugia, ItalyStudio Naturalistico Il Pianeta Naturale, Voc. Palazzetta 14-Poggio S. Dionisio, 06029 Valfabbrica, ItalyTwo areas affected by cement plant emissions, in an industrial district of Central Italy, were investigated by foraging honeybees (<i>Apis mellifera ligustica</i>) on the return to their hives, as an in situ biomonitor. The contamination was compared with that of a background reference area on the Central Apennine Mountains, quite far from the contamination sources. At all the sites, the bee colonies were stationary. One hundred seventy-seven compounds belonging to the class of polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) were positively identified by gas chromatographic and mass spectrometric techniques. For the first time, the presence of several unusual compounds on bee samples is highlighted. These include polycyclic aromatic sulfur heterocycles (PASHs), 1.55–35.63 ng/g d.w., compounds that, like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), 67.50–129.95 ng d.w., are classified as carcinogenic and/or mutagenic. In an attempt to identify the contribution of different and specific sources of these pollutants to the total pollution profile, the composition of aliphatic linear hydrocarbons was also examined.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3298/10/2/34honeybeesbiomonitorspolyciclic aromatic compounds (PACs)polyciclcic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)polycyclic aromatic sulfur heterocycles (PASHs)n-alkanes |
| spellingShingle | Bartolomeo Sebastiani Sara Mariucci Nicola Palmieri Foraging Honeybees (<i>Apis mellifera ligustica</i>) as Biocenosis Monitors of Pollution in Areas Affected by Cement Industry Emissions Environments honeybees biomonitors polyciclic aromatic compounds (PACs) polyciclcic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) polycyclic aromatic sulfur heterocycles (PASHs) n-alkanes |
| title | Foraging Honeybees (<i>Apis mellifera ligustica</i>) as Biocenosis Monitors of Pollution in Areas Affected by Cement Industry Emissions |
| title_full | Foraging Honeybees (<i>Apis mellifera ligustica</i>) as Biocenosis Monitors of Pollution in Areas Affected by Cement Industry Emissions |
| title_fullStr | Foraging Honeybees (<i>Apis mellifera ligustica</i>) as Biocenosis Monitors of Pollution in Areas Affected by Cement Industry Emissions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Foraging Honeybees (<i>Apis mellifera ligustica</i>) as Biocenosis Monitors of Pollution in Areas Affected by Cement Industry Emissions |
| title_short | Foraging Honeybees (<i>Apis mellifera ligustica</i>) as Biocenosis Monitors of Pollution in Areas Affected by Cement Industry Emissions |
| title_sort | foraging honeybees i apis mellifera ligustica i as biocenosis monitors of pollution in areas affected by cement industry emissions |
| topic | honeybees biomonitors polyciclic aromatic compounds (PACs) polyciclcic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) polycyclic aromatic sulfur heterocycles (PASHs) n-alkanes |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3298/10/2/34 |
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