# Honey as a Bioindicator: Pollution's Effects on Its Quality in Mining vs. Protected Sites
## 5 Conclusions  
The content of metal cations in honey depends on the specific characteristics of an apiary's location. The study highlighted significant differences regarding heavy metal contamination in honey depending on the area of origin, showing that the mining regions were associated with high levels of lead, cadmium, iron, copper, and zinc, often exceeding allowable limits. The results indicated maximum values for Pb of 0.607 mg/kg, and detected the presence of the heavy metals investigated in all the honey samples analyzed, except for Cd and Cu, which did not exist in significant amounts.  
A comparison of international regulations revealed that only lead is uniformly regulated at both the European Union and Codex Alimentarius levels, while other heavy metals remain insufficiently monitored, emphasizing the need for the global harmonization of food safety standards.  
The comparative analysis of the antimicrobial activity of the honey samples from mining areas and protected areas revealed that the samples from protected areas exhibited stronger inhibitory activity against bacteria and fungi compared to those from mining areas.  
The statistical correlations between heavy metals and antimicrobial activity suggested, as a whole, the influence of contaminants on microorganism development, with some metals exhibiting inhibitory effects and others possibly playing a stimulatory role, depending on the type of pathogen analyzed. Through the principal component analysis (PCA), a clear separation was observed between the samples from industrial areas and those from protected natural environments, confirming the negative impact of pollution on the chemical composition of honey.  
The honey samples collected from ecological zones stood out for their higher concentrations of bioactive compounds, especially phenols and flavonoids, which provide these products with superior antioxidant and antimicrobial potential. The results highlight not only the risks associated with consuming contaminated honey, but also the importance of protecting ecological environments to maintain the quality of bee products, recommending the implementation of strict and continuous monitoring of contamination factors.  
Conceptualization, M.G. and M.L.V.; methodology, M.L.V.; software, M.-T.C.; validation, M.P., M.G. and M.L.V.; formal analysis, M.L.V.; investigation, M.L.V.; resources, M.P.; data curation, M.G.; writing--original draft preparation, M.G.; writing--review and editing, M.G.; visualization, M.-T.C.; supervision, M.P.; project administration, M.G.; funding acquisition, M.-T.C. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.  
This research received no external funding.  
Not applicable.  
Data Availability Statement: The data are contained within the article.  
The authors would like to express their sincere gratitude to all those who contributed to this research. Special thanks go to the local beekeepers from both the mining and protected sites in Romania, whose cooperation and access to apiaries made the collection of honey samples possible. We also acknowledge the support of all the universities involved, for providing access to analytical equipment and technical expertise. Finally, we thank our colleagues whose valuable feedback helped improve the clarity and quality of this manuscript.  
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.