Monofloral bee pollen, collected by honeybees from a single dominant botanical source, enables a precise and reproducible evaluation of elemental composition due to high taxonomic purity and reduced matrix variability. This study aimed to (i) elucidate the relationships between botanical origin, physicochemical properties, and mineral and PTE accumulation in monofloral pollen samples (MP1–MP10) collected from Bingöl, Türkiye, and (ii) the non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic health risks for adults and children under realistic daily intake scenarios. Melissopalynological analysis confirmed high monoflorality (≥ 98%). ICP-MS results showed significant inter-species differences (p 1 × 10− 4), reflecting age-dependent sensitivity despite trace-level occurrence. Several monofloral pollens supplied nutritionally relevant Fe and Mn contributions toward RDA (%), reinforcing their dietary value.
Şeker et al. (2026) studied this question.