Essential and Potentially Toxic Elements from Brazilian Geopropolis Produced by the Stingless Bee Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides Using ICP OES.

Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides is a species of stingless bee popularly known in Brazil as "mandaçaia". Products derived from bees for food and therapeutic uses, have stimulated the evaluation of the chemical composition of geopropolis. Concentrations of 24 essential and potentially toxic elements were determined in geopropolis samples, using a sequential optical emission spectrometer with inductively coupled plasma (ICP OES) after microwave-assisted acid digestion.