Pollution profiling in Italian honeys: Elements and microplastics as comprehensive indicators of environmental contamination and food safety

: This study presents the first comprehensive analysis of Italian honeys, focusing on the dual contamination by inorganic elements and microplastics as indicators of environmental pollution and food safety. A total of 28 honey samples from diverse botanical and geographical origins across Italy, along with one extra-European sample (included to make a comparison with a sample produced outside Italian -and therefore European- Community controls), were analyzed using Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES), Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS), stereomicroscopy, and micro-FTIR. The analysis revealed significant variability in 30 macro- and microelement concentrations, influenced by both natural and anthropogenic sources. Only lead among the toxic elements examined is subject to a legal limit in honey and its concentrations ranged from below the detection limit to 0.300 mg·kg-1, with three samples exceeding the EU maximum allowable limit of 0.100 mg·kg-1. Meanwhile, essential macroelements such as potassium and rubidium showed patterns more closely tied to botanical origin. Microplastics were detected in 100 % of the analyzed samples, with an average contamination of 62 particles per kg of honey. Notably, approximately 20 % of MPs were smaller than 130 μm, a size range considered critical for translocation into human tissues. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) provided insights into the correlations between honey composition, botanical sources, and environmental factors, reinforcing honey's potential as a bioindicator of ecological contamination. In particular, a correlation among Pb and MP concentrations was identified, potentially ascribable both to a common source of Pb and MP or to the adsorption of Pb onto MP fragments. This work offers a novel perspective on the intersection of microplastic and inorganic pollutant contamination in honey, underscoring its implications for food safety, environmental monitoring, and public health.