Trace and rare earth elements in monofloral and multifloral honeys from Northwestern Italy; A first attempt of characterization by a multi-elemental profile

Background: Metals are a minor constituent in honey, but they have been suggested to be a potential tool to characterize honeys according to their botanical or geographical origin. Methods: A total of 40 metals were analyzed by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry in monofloral and multifloral honeys from Northwestern Italy. PCA and ANOVA were used to discriminate honeys according to the various floral types. Results: The highest levels of trace elements and rare earth elements (REEs) were found in chestnut honey, while the lowest concentrations were recorded in acacia and rhododendron honeys. Rubidium and aluminum were the most represented nonessential elements, while manganese, iron, zinc and copper had the highest values of the essential elements. Potentially toxic elements arsenic, cadmium and lead were close to or below the limit of quantification. Conclusions: The present study showed significant differences in metal concentrations according to honey floral type, reflecting the strong influence of botanical origin on the chemical composition of this particular food.