Biomonitoring, status and source risk assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) using honeybees, pine tree leaves, and propolis

Determination of Atmospheric PAHs Concentration by Using Honeybee and Passive Air Sampler

“…Honeybees are often exposed to the action of pollutants present in the surroundings of the hives from spring to autumn, an area that may be as large as 5-7 km 2 . When foraging, the bees carry back to the hive the contaminants contained in their feed, as well as those deposited on the surfaces of the flowers and leaves of the plants that they visited [3,22,23]. Therefore, high concentrations of PAHs in bee samples are expected.…”

“…Also, PAHs have toxic, mutagenic and carcinogenic effects, high volatility, easily transportable in the atmosphere and photo-degradable compounds that can react with nitrogen oxides (NOx) and ozone (O3) [2]. These compounds are usually released during the incomplete combustion of organic materials such as wood, coal, and oil [3]. PAHs are common in the atmosphere and the first pollutants known as possible carcinogens [4].…”

“…A single bee exiting from a hive circulates 80-100 flowers per day [15], during this activity various microorganisms, chemicals, and particles are kept in the body of bees [14]. For this reason, honey bees are used to monitor the distribution and effects of various hazardous chemicals, heavy metals, radionuclides, pesticides and including organic pollutants such as PAHs [3].…”

Accumulation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in plants of tundra affected by thermal power station in the vicinities of Vorkuta

“…Для оценки загрязнения ПАУ используются не только почвы. В промышленном районе Турции были исследованы образцы пчел, листьев сосны и прополиса с целью биоиндикации загрязнения ПАУ [8]. Медоносные пчелы продемонстрировали лучшие возможности в отношении мониторинга взвешенных ПАУ, листья сосны были лучшими биоиндикаторами следовых концентраций ПАУ.…”

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Betula nаnа (Betulaceae, Magnoliópsida) under the Impact of a Thermal Power Plant

“…В промышленном районе Алиага Измир (Турция) в апреле -мае 2014 г. были исследованы образцы пчел, хвои сосны и прополиса с целью биоиндикации полиаренового загрязнения. В районе был сконцентрирован ряд промышленных производств: нефтехимическая промышленность, металлургические заводы, газовые турбины и электростанция, работающая на природном газе (Kargar et al, 2017). Медоносные пчелы продемонстрировали лучшие возможности мониторинга в отношении взвешенных ПАУ, тогда как хвоя сосны была признана лучшим биоиндикаторам следовых концентраций ПАУ.…”