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537866 
Journal Article 
Honey as bio indicator by screening the heavy metal content of the environment 
Yazgan, S; Horn, H; Isengard, HD 
2006 
1 
Deutsche Lebensmittel-Rundschau
ISSN: 0012-0413 
102 
5 
192-194 
English 
WOS:000237921800002 
Because of the fact that bee colonies are collecting nectar within an area of about 30 square kilometres it was checked if honey can be used as bio-indicator for screening the heavy metal content of the environment. In total 58 samples, 41 flower- and 17 honeydew honeys, were analysed, Some of the flower honeys were collected from regions exposed to industry, while others came from agricultural areas, the honeydew honeys were collected in the Black Forest. The determinations were done by using the inductive-linked plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) Elan 6000 of the company PE Sciex. Lead (Pb), copper (Cu), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), zinc (Zn), silver (Ag) and iron (Fe) were directly measured while cadmium (Cd) was determined as isotopes 113Cd and 114Cd. The amount of silver of all samples was below the detection limit, iron could not be calculated due to the wide mean variation of the single samples that might be the result of a contamination. Concerning cadmium, only 12 honeys passed the detection limit of 10 pg/kg. The following mean values (pg/kg) could be calculated: Lead (81), cadmium (23), chromium (109), copper (932), manganese (3120), nickel (301), zinc (1083). Honeydew honeys had higher mineral contents than flower honeys. However no significant differences between honeydew honeys from spruce and silver fir could be observed. In flower honeys from (industrial) exposed areas the highest lead concentrations could be found. Consequently honey can be at least partly used as bio-indicator for detection of heavy metal pollution. 
honey; heavy metals; bioindicator; contamination; pollution; bees