Department of Chemistry and Food Toxicology, University of Rzeszow, Ćwiklińskiej 1a St., 35-601, Rzeszów, Poland.
Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Sciences, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Tr. A. Hlinku 2, 949 76, Nitra, Slovakia.
Environ Monit Assess. 2018 Jan 27;190(2):101. doi: 10.1007/s10661-018-6474-0.
The aim of the study was to investigate the transfer of toxic metals from honeybee workers (Apis mellifera L.) to bee honey in relation to the ecological state of the environment. The materials of the study consisted of samples of honeybee bodies and varietal honeys taken from the same apiary located in three areas: R1-urbanized (16), R2-ecologically clean (16) and R3-industrialized (15) of south-eastern Poland. The contents of 14 elements in all tested samples, including toxic metals (Cd, Pb, Hg, Al, Ni, Tl) as well as bioelements (K, Mg, Ca, Mn, Fe, Zn, Cu, Se), were analysed by the ICP-OES method with prior microwave mineralization. The concentrations of the majority of the studied elements, excluding aluminum and lead, were significantly higher in bee bodies than in honey samples (P < 0.05). The pollution of bee bodies by toxic metals was dependent on the environmental cleanliness, and the most pollution was observed in the industrialized area. The bee body was the most effective barrier for Cd and Tl transfer to the honey, while the level of Ni was similar in both tested materials. The Al concentration was significantly higher in honey than bee bodies (14.81 ± 24.69 and 6.51 ± 5.83 mg kg, respectively), which suggests the possibility of secondary contamination of honey. The greatest sensitivity to heavy metal pollution was observed in honeydew honey compared to nectar honeys (P < 0.05). It was proved for the first time that bees work as biofilters for toxic metals and prevent honey contamination.
本研究旨在探讨与环境生态状况有关的，从工蜂（Apis mellifera L.）向蜂蜜转移有毒金属的情况。研究材料包括取自同一养蜂场三个不同地区（波兰东南部的 R1-城市化地区（16 个样本）、R2-生态清洁地区（16 个样本）和 R3-工业化地区（15 个样本））的蜜蜂尸体和花蜜样本。采用微波消解预处理-电感耦合等离子体发射光谱法（ICP-OES）对所有测试样本中的 14 种元素，包括有毒金属（Cd、Pb、Hg、Al、Ni、Tl）和生物元素（K、Mg、Ca、Mn、Fe、Zn、Cu、Se）的含量进行了分析。除铝和铅外，研究中大多数元素在蜜蜂尸体中的浓度均明显高于蜂蜜样本（P<0.05）。有毒金属对蜜蜂尸体的污染程度取决于环境清洁度，在工业化地区污染最严重。蜜蜂尸体对 Cd 和 Tl 向蜂蜜转移具有最强的阻隔作用，而 Ni 的水平在两种测试材料中相似。铝在蜂蜜中的浓度明显高于蜜蜂尸体（分别为 14.81 ± 24.69 和 6.51 ± 5.83 mg kg-1），这表明蜂蜜存在二次污染的可能性。与花蜜蜂蜜相比，甘露蜜对重金属污染的敏感性最大（P<0.05）。本研究首次证明，蜜蜂是有毒金属的生物过滤器，可以防止蜂蜜受到污染。
