Food Safety and quality of some Italian honey: Study of long-persistent contaminants (heavy metals and PFAS) in different production areas in southern Italy

In recent years, persistent environmental contaminants such as PFAS have emerged alongside traditional pollutants like heavy metals. Honey is a useful biomonitoring tool thanks to bees' foraging range, which reflects average pollution levels. The objective of this study was to determinate heavy metals and PFAS in honey from six areas of the Molise region (rural, industrial, and remote), to evaluate environmental impact on the matrix, verify if honey meets health standards, and assess potential consumer risks. 56 honey samples were collected over four months directly from honeycombs. Heavy metals were analyzed by ICP-AES; PFAS by SPE-LC-MS/MS. Aluminium, antimony, and selenium were the most detected metals; three PFAS (Bistriflimide, 6:2FTS, L-PFOS) were found at ultra-trace levels. Chemometric analysis identified arsenic, antimony, and selenium as area-specific markers. Risk assessment showed higher non-carcinogenic risk in areas A and E, and carcinogenic risk in C and D. Area B was the least impacted.