Intensive agricultural practices, such as pesticides use, may negatively affect bee health and hive products. Glyphosate is one of the most widely used polar pesticides applied in crops for weed control. In this study, honey samples, collected from beekeeping farms located in the Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna regions in Italy in the framework of regional monitoring plans activated from 2020 to 2022, were analyzed for the presence of residues of polar pesticides. The analytical method based on ion chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry was applied to quantify glyphosate, glufosinate, ethephon, fosetyl aluminum, and their related metabolites. Residues of glyphosate were detected in around 28% of analyzed honey samples. Observations on the distribution of the honey-production-site locations suggest that honey samples originating from the provinces within the Lombardy region, where the agricultural sector is highly developed, were more affected by glyphosate contamination than the samples collected from the areas with low agricultural activity, where no glyphosate residues were detected over the three years of the monitoring program.

Contamination levels of dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were monitored over 2018–2021 in 214 bovine milk samples from farms located in two regions in northern Italy (Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna). The average concentrations of the sum of dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs (0.78 ± 0.55 pg TEQ/g fat) and six non-dioxin-like PCBs (6.55 ± 2.24 ng/g fat) were largely below the maximum, and action limits established at European level, confirming a decreasing trend observed both locally and across Europe in recent years. The impact of contamination levels on chronic dietary exposure of the Italian population to dioxins and PCBs was found to be highly variable based on the type of cow milk (skimmed, semi-skimmed, or whole-fat milk) and the population age group considered. Indeed, a first-tier screening of the potential exposure via determinist methods allowed for the identification of the youngest population as the group with the worst risk profile. The refinement of exposure assessment via Monte Carlo probabilistic methods suggested that, at the less pessimistic middle-bound simulation scenario, infants, toddlers, and children consuming whole cow milk may be exposed to dioxins and PCBs levels above the toxicological reference values with a probability of 76, 56, and 22%, respectively.

The widespread use of agrochemicals raises concerns about environmental impacts, particularly on pollinators, such as bees, which serve as bioindicators of contamination. Developing methods to assess contamination risks in bioindicators supports regulatory frameworks, including EU regulations on the maximum residue limits (MRLs) for pesticides in food and the environment. This study presents the development and validation of two complementary analytical methods (LC–MS/MS and IC–HRMS) for highly polar pesticide (HPP) detection and quantification in bee matrices. Both methods were validated according to document SANTE/11312/2021 v2. LC–MS/MS was validated with a limit of quantification (LOQ) of 0.005 mg/kg for all the analytes. Repeatability at 0.005, 0.010, 0.020, and 0.100 mg/kg showed RSD_r from 1.6% to 19.7% and recoveries between 70% and 119%. Interlaboratory precision at 0.020 mg/kg across two labs showed RSD_R from 5.5% to 13.6%, with recoveries between 91% and 103%. The IC–HRMS method achieved LOQs of 0.01 mg/kg (glufosinate, N-acetyl glufosinate, MPPA, glyphosate, N-acetyl glyphosate, N-acetyl AMPA) and 0.1 mg/kg (fosetyl, phosphonic acid, AMPA), with mean recoveries in repeatability conditions from 84% to 114% and RSD_r from 2% to 14%. Intralaboratory precision showed mean recoveries from 87% to 119%, with RSD_wR values between 10% and 18%. These methods enable accurate monitoring of HPP contamination, supporting risk assessment and sustainable agriculture.

This study investigates the concentrations and patterns of dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs (TEQ Diox+PCB-DL) and non-dioxin-like PCBs (PCB-NDL) in eels from Lake Garda, assessing their relationship with biometric and lipid parameters. TEQ Diox+PCB-DL levels ranged from 1.70 to 77.1 pg/g (median: 9.90 pg/g), while PCB-NDL levels spanned from 14.0 to 1620 ng/g (median: 65.5 ng/g). Significant, albeit low, correlations were found: length and weight were negatively correlated, and lipid content was positively correlated, with both contaminants. Multivariable regression confirmed length and lipid percentage as significant predictors, although the models explained a limited proportion of variance (R²: 0.23 and 0.17). Classification-based analyses showed that irregularly contaminated eels were shorter and had a higher lipid content. Multinomial logistic regression supported these findings, but showed limited predictive accuracy (AUC = 0.63). Notably, 28 out of 90 samples exceeded the EU regulatory limit for TEQ Diox+PCB-DL, and several surpassed the threshold for PCB-NDL, highlighting potential public health risks. Given the lipophilic nature and toxicity of these compounds, continued monitoring is warranted. The findings underscore the need for broader environmental assessments to better understand pollutant dynamics and support regulatory actions, including the extended ban on eel fishing in the region.