ABSTRACT
The elemental analysis of 150 French acacia honeys (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) collected by beekeepers in apparently polluted and nonpolluted environments was performed by using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) to measure significant concentrations of Ag, Ca, Cr, Co, Cu, Fe, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, P, S, Zn, Al, Cd, Hg, Ni, and Pb. Fortunately, Cd, Hg, Ni, and Pb were not detected in the analyzed samples. Conversely, Ag, Cu, Al, Zn, and S were found in some samples located near industrial areas. Because a high variability was found in the concentration profiles, correspondence factor analysis was used to rationalize the data and provide a typology of the honeys based on the concentration of these different elements in the honeys. The results were confirmed by means of principal component analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis. Finally, the usefulness of the acacia honey as a bioindicator of heavy metal contamination is discussed.
