Maria Chudzińska

Estimation of honey authenticity by multielements characteristics using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) combined with chemometrics.

In our study the mineral content of 55 honey samples, which represented three different types of honey: honeydew, buckwheat and rape honey from different areas in Poland, was evaluated. Determination of 13 elements (Al, B, Ba, Ca, Cd, Cu, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, Pb, Zn) was performed using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. We tried to prove that the analysis of quality and quantity of honey elements could be used to define honey origin by using ICP-MS as a technique for simultaneous determination of elements. Chemometric methods, such as CA and PCA, were applied to classify honey according to mineral content. CA showed three clusters corresponding to the three botanical origins of honey. PCA permitted the reduction of 13 variables to four principal components explaining 77.19% of the total variance. The first most important principal component was strongly associated with the value of K, Al, Ni and Cd. This study revealed that CA and PCA analysis appear useful tools for differentiation of honey samples authenticity using the profile of mineral content and they highlighted the relationship between the elements distribution and honey type.

Application of ICP-MS method of determination of 15 elements in honey with chemometric approach for the verification of their authenticity.

In this study the mineral content of 140 honey samples, which represent three different types of honey, namely: honeydew, buckwheat and rape honey from 16 areas of Poland, were evaluated. The method is described for determination of 15 elements (Al, B, Ba, Ca, Cd, Cr, Cu, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, Pb, Sr, and Zn) in honey from Poland using ICP-MS. The data were subjected to chemometric assessment to understand the association between the elements and classify honey samples. Mainly supervised pattern recognition techniques, such as LDA and C&RT were performed for the whole data set in order to discriminate and classify honey samples according to their origin and detect corresponding markers. Analyzes revealed an excellent separation between honey samples according to their type with the efficiency of LDA model as 100%. On the other hand, a variable classification for rape, buckwheat and honeydew honeys in regards to their geographical origin could be achieved.

Heavy metal contents in the sediments of astatic ponds: Influence of geomorphology, hydroperiod, water chemistry and vegetation

The contents of heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn) were analysed in the bottom sediments of 30 small, astatic ponds located in the agricultural landscape of Western Poland. The samples were collected from 118 stations located in patches of four vegetation types. Relationships between the contents of particular elements and four groups of factors (geomorphology, hydroperiod, water quality and vegetation) were tested using Redundancy Analysis (RDA). The most important factors influencing the heavy metal contents were the maximum depth and area of the pond, its hydroperiod, water pH and conductivity values. In general, low quantities of heavy metals were recorded in the sediments of kettle-like ponds (small but located in deep depressions) and high in water bodies of the shore-bursting type (large but shallow). Moreover, quantities of particular elements were influenced by the structure of the vegetation covering the pond. Based on the results, we show which types of astatic ponds are most exposed to contamination and suggest some conservation practices that may reduce the influx of heavy metals.

Accumulation and distribution of metallic elements and metalloids in edible Amanita fulva mushrooms

Baseline concentrations of Ag, Al, As, Ba, Ca, Cd, Co, Cu, Cr, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, P, Pb, Rb, Sr, Tl, V, U and Zn were presented in Amanita fulva collected from unpolluted areas in Poland. There is no previous data published on the bio-element constituents of A. fulva. A very narrow range of values was determined by ICP-DRC-MS and ICP-AES for the trace elements Ag, Co, Cu, Cr, Ni, Rb, Sr, Tl and Zn in caps and of Ag, Co, Cu, Mn, Ni, Sr, U and Zn in stipes and also for the macro elements K, P, Na and Mg. The fruitbodies of A. fulva from the northern (Baltic Sea coastal forests) and southwestern (Lower Silesia forests) sites differed substantially in cadmium, lead and uranium, and those from the Lower Silesia region showed them in greater concentrations. This observation may imply that A. fulva under typical geochemical site conditions is able to regulate the accumulation of many of the elements mentioned in fruiting bodies.

Specific accumulation of cadmium and other trace elements in Sarcodon imbricatus using ICP-MS with a chemometric approach

ABSTRACT Fungi can effectively accumulate various metallic elements, metalloids and non-metals in fruiting bodies. This study provides information on the accumulation of Ag, As, Ba, Cd, Co, Cs, Cu, Cr, Li, Mn, Ni, Pb, Rb, Sr, V, Tl, U and Zn in the edible mushroom Sarcodon imbricatus (L.) P. Karst. using the technique of inductively coupled plasma – mass spectrometry with a dynamic reaction cell mode. Mushrooms were foraged from four regions in Poland. Baseline concentrations of minerals, expressed in mg kg−1 dry biomass (db), were in the composite samples of caps in the range: for Ag (0.27–0.29), As (1.0–1.9), Ba (0.31–0.45), Cd (4.5–6.3), Co (0.23–1.9), Cu (28–35), Cr (0.19–0.29), Cs (20–38), Li (0.013–0.020), Mn (5.9–8.8), Ni (0.81–1.4), Pb (0.94–1.6), Rb (490–700), Sr (0.14–0.19), Tl (0.058–0.11), U (0.002–0.002), V (0.044–0.054) and Zn (140–160). Concentration levels of Ag, As, Cd, Cs, Pb and Zn were higher in caps than in stipes of S. imbricatus, whereas for other elements the distribution between caps and stipes was nearly equal or for some differed depending on the location. Certainly, the content of toxic Cd in S. imbricatus was elevated (0.45–0.63 mg kg−1 in fresh caps) and therefore eating this mushroom could increase exposure to Cd. In addition, the content of toxic As in S. imbricatus was elevated.

Toxic elements and bio-metals in Cantharellus mushrooms from Poland and China

Data on multi-trace element composition and content relationships have been obtained for Cantharellus cibarius, C. tubaeformis, and C. minor mushrooms from Poland and China by inductive coupled plasma–dynamic reaction cell–mass spectroscopy. There is no previous data published on As, Li, V, Tl, and U in chanterelles from Poland and on Ba, Co, Cr, Ni, Rb, and Sr in chanterelles from China. The results implied a role of the soil background geochemistry at the collection site with the occurrence of Ag, As, Ba, Cr, Cs, Li, Mn, Pb, Rb, Sr, U, and V in the fruiting bodies. Both geogenic Cd and anthropogenic Cd can contribute in load of this element in chanterelles from the Świetokrzyskie Mts. region in Poland, while geogenic source can be highly dominant in the background areas of Yunnan. An essentiality of Cu and Zn and effort by mushroom to maintain their physiological regulation could be reflected by data for Cantharellus mushrooms from both regions of the world, but its geogenic source (and possibly anthropogenic) can matter also in the region of the Świetokrzyskie Mountains in Poland. The elements Co, Ni, and Tl were at the same order of magnitude in contents in C. cibarius in Poland and Yunnan, China. C. tubaeformis differed from C. cibarius by a lower content of correlated Co, Ni, and Zn. Soil which is polymetallic and highly weathered in Yunnan can be suggested as a natural geogenic source of greater concentrations of As, Ba, Cr, Li, Pb, Sr, U, and V in the chanterelles there while lower of Mn and Rb, when related to chanterelles in Poland. A difference in Cs content between the sites can be attributed as an effect of the 137Cs release from the Chernobyl accident, in which Poland was much more affected than Yunnan, where deposition was negligible.

Are there different requirements for trace elements in eumelanin- and pheomelanin-based color production? A case study of two passerine species.

Melanin is the most common pigment in animal integuments including bird plumage. It has been shown that several trace elements may play roles in the production and signaling function of melanin-colored plumage. We investigated coloration and content of various metal elements in the rectrices of two insectivorous passerines, Common Redstarts (Phoenicurus phoenicurus) and Blackcaps (Sylvia atricapilla), which have eumelanin- and pheomelanin-based coloration, respectively. We hypothesized that 1) the two species would differ in concentrations of metals important in melanin synthesis (Ca, Fe, Cu, Zn), 2) differences in metal concentration levels would be related to feather coloration. Our study confirmed the first prediction and provides the first evidence that selected elements may play a greater role in pheomelanin than in eumelanin synthesis. Concentrations of three elements considered as important in melanin synthesis (Ca, Fe, Zn) were 52% to 93% higher in rusty colored Common Redstart feathers compared to the dark gray Blackcap feathers. However, element concentrations were not correlated with feather coloration or sex in either species. Our study suggests that, of the two melanin forms, pheomelanin synthesis may bear higher costs associated with the acquisition of specific elements or limited elements may create trade-offs between ornamentation and other physiological functions. Our findings warrant further investigations designed to better understand the roles of macro- and microelements in the synthesis of both forms of melanin.

Chemometric approach to evaluate element distribution in muscle, liver and fish bone of roach (Rutilus rutilus), silver bream (Blicca bjoerkna) and crucian carp (Carassius carassius) from Swarzędzkie Lake (Poland) using ICP-MS and FIAS-CVAAS techniques

ABSTRACT The content of elements in fish tissues and organs from Swarzędzkie Lake was investigated in order to evaluate the possible risk associated with their consumption by animals as well as humans. Samples of muscle, liver and fish bone of three fish species; roach (Rutilus rutilus), silver bream (Blicca bjoerkna) and crucian carp (Carassius carassius) were collected from seine catches undertaken as part of the biomanipulation of Swarzędzkie Lake. Element concentration (Al, As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, Zn) was determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), with the exception of Hg where the flow injection analysis system cold vapour atomic absorption spectrometry (FIAS-CVAAS) was applied. The study indicated a large variation in the occurrence of the investigated elements in different parts of the fish body. The highest content of Al and Zn was stated in all fish organs for each fish species. The majority of the applied statistical and chemometric methods (e.g., PCA, CA) refer to roach since we had a large number of data for this species. The obtained results were assessed in terms of their accuracy and precision using certified reference material of Fish Muscle ERM BB422.