Vol. 12, Issue 12 (2023)

Author(s):
Vishu Verma, Randeep Singh and Vijay Kumar

Abstract:
Heavy metals are taken into consideration as a few of the most crucial and potentially harmful pollutants. Eleven heavy metals (Se, Zn, Cd, Ca, Fe, Cu, Ni, Pb, K, Mn, and Na) were determined in soil, pollen, nectar, and honey samples collected from four districts (Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Pathankot, and Tarn Taran Sahib) of Majha Region, Punjab, India. Metal concentrations were measured using a microwave plasma-atomic emission spectrometer (Agilent 4200 MP-AES). The measurement of heavy metals in honey is highly relevant for both quality assurance and dietary purposes. The findings showed that honey from contaminated areas contained more heavy metals than honey from clean areas. This has to do with the pollution that is produced by industrial activity in contaminated areas. Heavy metals can possibly be hazardous to pollinator species that depend on these plants for nectar and pollen, in addition to having an adverse effect on plant productivity and survival. As a result, heavy metals have a significant negative impact on forager bee survival, brood growth, and species diversity. The present study concluded that the honey bee (Apis mellifera), which reflects the presence and amount of heavy metals in plants near apiary sites, is a useful marker for monitoring environmental pollution with heavy metals. Additionally, the bioaccumulation factor (BAF) of heavy metals was estimated in consideration of soil to pollen, soil to nectar, and nectar to honey. The accumulation of Zn, Ca, and Cu in honey is high due to water pollution, and forager bees collecting water leads to an increase in the concentration of these metals in honey. The bioaccumulation factor of Cd was not calculated due to samples below the detection limit (BDL). Comparing the studied heavy metal concentration with the literature, we concluded that local environmental factors influence the difference in metal concentration.