Document Type : Review article
Authors
1
1Department of Toxicology, Environmental Metrology&Policy Program, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, ak2144@georgetown.edu
2
Department of Forensic and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Beni-Suef University
3
Department of Forensic and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Beni-Suef University, 62511 Beni-Suef, Egypt.
4
Forensic Medicine and Toxicology Department,Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Beni- Suef University, Beni-Suef, Egypt
Abstract
Monitoring environmental pollutants, pesticides, and pathogens is essential for safeguarding human health, agricultural productivity, and ecosystem stability. Various approaches from physical sensors to bioindicators have been employed for environmental surveillance. Honeybees, as globally managed pollinators, serve as an effective continuous biomonitoring species. Foraging bees encounter contaminants, transporting them back to their hives for analysis. While individual bees are sensitive to environmental stressors such as pesticides and temperature extremes, the colony exhibits remarkable resilience, accumulating contaminants or adapting without collapse. This enables long-term tracking of pollutants across geographic regions and the study of ecotoxicological trends over time. The well-established role played by honeybees and hive products (pollen, honey, and wax) as sensitive bioindicators for environmental contaminants, such as pesticides, heavy metals, and airborne pollutants, is highlighted in this review. To improve its dependability for worldwide environmental assessments, more research and standardized procedures are required
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