Honey as an Indicator of Environmental PAH Contamination

Environmental contamination is an increasing concern for food safety and public health, particularly regarding polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), a group of persistent and potentially carcinogenic pollutants. PAHs accumulate in soil, water, and air and may enter the food chain through atmospheric deposition. Honey, produced by Apis mellifera, can serve as a valuable environmental indicator, reflecting contamination within the bees’ foraging area. This issue is especially relevant in wildfire-prone regions such as Portugal, where recurrent fires contribute to elevated atmospheric PAH emissions.

A cross-sectional study was conducted on 20 honey samples collected across Portugal in 2024. Samples were prepared using QuEChERS extraction and clean-up procedures and analysed by GC–MS. Quantification was performed using a standard mixture of 16 priority PAHs.

Low-molecular-weight (LMW) PAHs exhibited the highest concentrations, with naphthalene reaching up to 18.625 µg/kg. Other LMW compounds ranged from 0.007 to 6.779 µg/kg. Phenanthrene also revealed elevated concentrations (up to 5.102 µg/kg), corroborating earlier findings. Among high-molecular-weight (HMW) PAHs, dibenzo[a,h]anthracene showed the highest concentration (4.337 µg/kg), while the remaining HMW compounds were close to the method detection limits.

ΣPAH4 concentrations ranged from 0.203 to 0.914 µg/kg, remaining below current indicative limits established by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Variability among samples likely reflects geographic differences, local emission sources, wildfire exposure, and environmental conditions.

Overall, honey represents a valuable matrix for monitoring environmental PAH contamination, supporting its relevance in food safety assessment and environmental surveillance.