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Pollen and Chemical Content of Beebreads from Serpentine Areas in Albania and Bulgaria

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Abstract

Beebread from serpentine localities in Albania and Bulgaria were characterized based on their pollen and chemical element content (macroelements K, Ca, Mg, P and microelements Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Na, Ni, Pb, Zn) aiming to (1) evaluate the effect of serpentine soil on the quality of beebread; (2) compare elemental concentrations in samples from serpentine areas in Albania and Bulgaria; and (3) compare the differences in pollen spectra. Chemical element content was determined using microwave digestion of beebread samples followed by ICP-OES measurements. The analytical procedure developed was validated by added/found method. Analytical figures of merit of analytical method proposed were presented. The melissopalynological analysis was applied for pollen characterization. The results demonstrate clear difference in the pollen spectra between the two sets of samples, confirming differences in local serpentine flora in both countries, but specific pollen type is difficult to be suggested. The pollen content is related to the flowering period, climatic conditions, and bees forage preferences. The samples vary in their elemental concentrations depending on the pollen type and year of collection. The highest average concentrations found for K, Ca, Mg, and P are close to values reported in the literature. However, elevated concentrations observed for Ni, Cr, Mn, and Fe in beebread, especially from Albania, are in line with the serpentine characteristics of studied areas. The concentrations of Cd and Pb for all beebread samples are below permissible limits. The results should be taken into consideration in future specific food safety regulations at national and international level.

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This work was supported by the Bulgarian Ministry of Education and Science under the National Research Programme “Healthy Foods for a Strong Bio-Economy and Quality of Life” approved by DCM # 577/17.08.2018.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Botany, Faculty of Biology, University of Sofia, blvd. Dragan Tzankov 8, 1164, Sofia, Bulgaria

    Dolja Pavlova & Juliana Atanassova

  2. Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Sofia, blvd. James Bouchier 1, 1164, Sofia, Bulgaria

    Irina Karadjova

  3. Environmental Department, Faculty of Agronomy and Environment, Agricultural University of Tirana, Koder-Kamez, Tirane, Albania

    Aida Bani

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  1. Dolja Pavlova
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Correspondence to Dolja Pavlova.

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Pavlova, D., Atanassova, J., Karadjova, I. et al. Pollen and Chemical Content of Beebreads from Serpentine Areas in Albania and Bulgaria. Biol Trace Elem Res 200, 413–425 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-021-02638-w

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