Rape, sunflower and forest honeys for long-term environmental monitoring: Presence of indicator elements and non-photosynthetic carbon in old Hungarian samples

Zsófi Sajtos, Tamás Varga, Zita Gajdos, Petra Burik, Máté Csontos, Zsuzsa Lisztes-Szabó, A. J.Timothy Jull, Mihály Molnár, Edina Baranyai

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

6 Scopus citations

Abstract

In this paper, we present the time-dependent elemental composition and AMS radiocarbon dating results of 36 rape, sunflower and forest honey samples, collected between 1985 and 2018 in geographically close locations. Based on the elemental information, we conclude that bee products regardless the type provide useful environmental information of the previous decades, such as the decreasing trend of airborne Pb emission can be traced. However, radiocarbon results agree less with the atmospheric bomb peak. Random offsets were observed in the specific radiocarbon activity of the honey samples indicating that rape, sunflower and forest honey samples are not as reliable materials for radiocarbon dating as acacia honeys. The radiocarbon results show that the rape, sunflower and forest honey samples can contain non-photosynthetic carbon, presumably derived from the soil. Thus, the complex application of honey samples for environmental reconstruction requires the species-separated investigation of bee products to reveal their adaptability for assessment approaches.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number152044
JournalScience of the Total Environment
Volume808
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 20 2022

Keywords

  • AMS
  • Honey
  • MP-AES
  • Radiocarbon dating
  • Rape
  • Sunflower

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Environmental Engineering
  • Environmental Chemistry
  • Waste Management and Disposal
  • Pollution

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