Abstract

This study assessed the ability of honeybees as environmental indicators for atmospheric Lead and Cadmium concentrations through regression analyses. For this purpose, honeybees sampling was performed from June to November 2017, in three apiaries in Milano, and in two apiaries in Lodi and in Magenta. Heavy metals were detected on bees through atomic absorption and related to the respective mean atmospheric levels, measured by municipal monitoring units during 30 d before bees collection. The highest values of Cadmium on bees, 0.028–0.385 µg g⁻¹, were detected in Magenta, a suburban-rural site. Lead showed the highest values, 0.244–0.741 µg g⁻¹, in Milano, Orti di Via Padova, an urban ex-industrial area retrained for horticulture, characterised by a planted area rich in biodiversity. Cd and Pb on bees were significantly (p < .001) affected by the respective atmospheric heavy metal concentration, measured by the nearest municipal monitoring station (p < .05) and affected by beehive site type (p < .05). The linear regression models performed for each site, showed that atmospheric metals were significantly better predicted in biodiverse sites than in sites characterised by poor vegetal biodiversity, probably for the necessity of bees of a larger foraging area. This study highlighted the relationship between bee and atmospheric quality of the hive site, confirming and quantifying the ability of bees as “alternative tools” to atmospheric monitoring devices for Cadmium and Lead pollution level. For the local-regional aspect of the study, further studies at larger scale are needed.

摘要

本研究通过回归分析评估了蜜蜂作为大气铅和镉浓度环境指标的能力。为此，从 2017 年 6 月至 11 月，在米兰的三个养蜂场以及洛迪和 Magenta 的两个养蜂场进行了蜜蜂采样。通过原子吸收在蜜蜂身上检测到重金属，并与各自的平均大气水平相关，由市政监测单位在蜜蜂收集前 30 天测量。蜜蜂体内镉的最高值是 0.028–0.385 µg g ^-1，在 Magenta（郊区-农村地区）检测到。铅显示出最高值，0.244–0.741 µg g ^-1，在米兰，Orti di Via Padova，一个城市前工业区，以园艺为特色，种植区具有丰富的生物多样性。蜜蜂体内的 Cd 和 Pb 受各自大气重金属浓度的显着影响 ( p < .001)，由最近的市政监测站测量 ( p  < .05) 并受蜂巢地点类型的影响 ( p < .05）。对每个地点进行的线性回归模型表明，与植物生物多样性较差的地点相比，生物多样性地点的大气金属预测效果要好得多，这可能是因为蜜蜂需要更大的觅食区。这项研究强调了蜜蜂与蜂巢地点大气质量之间的关系，确认和量化了蜜蜂作为镉和铅污染水平大气监测设备的“替代工具”的能力。对于研究的局部区域方面，需要更大规模的进一步研究。