Bee Products as a Bioindicator of Radionuclide Contamination: Environmental Approach and Health Risk Evaluation

This study evaluated the activity concentrations of radionuclides in honey, bee pollen, bee bread, and propolis from multiple regions in Poland (Europe) to assess the levels of radiological contamination and their implications for public health. Furthermore, the work considers the use of bee products as bioindicators of the state of environmental contamination with radionuclides. The apiaries from which the samples were collected were selected in eight provinces in Poland, and are also complemented by reference data from soil contamination monitoring. Radionuclide measurements included both natural (e.g., 40K, 226Ra) and anthropogenic isotopes (e.g., 137Cs). The results show that although the overall activity concentrations were generally low, certain locations exhibited elevated levels of 137Cs in bee products, likely reflecting historical deposition in soils. Propolis was best correlated with 137Cs deposited in soil compared to the other products studied. The patterns observed substantiate the hypothesis that bee products, predominantly propolis, accurately reflect local radiological conditions, thereby providing a practical and non-intrusive approach to monitoring radionuclide contamination and informing risk management strategies. An assessment of potential health risks indicates that the effective dose is safe and ranges from 0.02 to 10.3 µSv per year, depending on the type of product and consumption.