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Essential and Potentially Toxic Elements from Brazilian Geopropolis Produced by the Stingless Bee Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides Using ICP OES

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Abstract

Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides is a species of stingless bee popularly known in Brazil as “mandaçaia”. Products derived from bees for food and therapeutic uses, have stimulated the evaluation of the chemical composition of geopropolis. Concentrations of 24 essential and potentially toxic elements were determined in geopropolis samples, using a sequential optical emission spectrometer with inductively coupled plasma (ICP OES) after microwave-assisted acid digestion. Principal component analysis (PCA) and Hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) were used to carry out an exploratory analysis of the samples. The following elements were quantified (in mg Kg−1): Al (320,414.40–36,911.1), As (<LoQ-4.37), Ba (38.36–211.11), Ca (672.38–94,527), Co (<LoQ-14.12), Cr (17.41–38.07), Cu (10.63–28.73), Fe (21,973.96–11,536.47), K (1974.38–9198.91), Mg (1961.17–7481.79), Mn (50.51–310.51), Na (154.55–340.46), Ni (2.28–21.74), P (16.59–51.07), Pb (3.45–8.55), Sb (<LoQ-1.64), Se (<LoQ-1.01), Sn (4.92–16.14), Sr (9.21–36.29), V (28.77–78.73) and Zn (24.34–50.31). Cd and Mo were found to be below the limit of detection (LoD) and quantification (LoQ) values of ICP OES in all investigated samples. Geopropolis can be a potential source of macro- and microelements for colonies and products derived from these bees for human consumption, contributing to their geographical origin and quality control, besides being an indicator of environmental monitoring.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to the following Brazilian agencies: Bahia State Research Support Foundation (FAPESB), Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) and “Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - Brasil (CAPES)”, and Research Group: Biopharmaceutics and Drugs.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Health Sciences, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, BA, 40110-100, Brazil

    Rodrigo da Cruz Ferreira, Lidércia Cavalcanti Ribeiro Cerqueira e Silva & Fábio Alexandre Chinalia

  2. Department of Life Sciences, Universidade do Estado da Bahia, Salvador, BA, 41195-001, Brazil

    Fernanda de Souza Dias, Caroline de Aragão Tannus & Aníbal de Freitas Santos Júnior

  3. Chemistry Institute, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, BA, 40170-115, Brazil

    Filipe Barbosa Santana & Daniele Cristina Muniz Batista dos Santos

  4. Science, Technology and Innovation Institute, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Camaçari, BA, 42809-000, Brazil

    Fábio de Souza Dias

  5. Department of Biological Sciences, Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana, Feira de Santana, BA, 44036-900, Brazil

    Marina Siqueira de Castro

  6. Departamento of Health, Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana, Feira de Santana, BA, 44036-900, Brazil

    Hugo Neves Brandão

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da Cruz Ferreira, R., de Souza Dias, F., de Aragão Tannus, C. et al. Essential and Potentially Toxic Elements from Brazilian Geopropolis Produced by the Stingless Bee Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides Using ICP OES. Biol Trace Elem Res 199, 3527–3539 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-020-02455-7

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