ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Determination of Pesticides, Heavy Metals,
Radioactive Substances, and Antibiotic
Residues in Honey
Ibrahim Mujić1, Vildana Alibabić1, Stela Jokić2, Emdžad Galijašević3, Dilajla Jukić3,
Damir Šekulja4, Melisa Bajramović1
More details
Hide details
1Biotechnical Faculty, University of Bihać, Kulina bana 2, 77000 Bihać, Bosnia and Herzegovina
2Faculty of Food Technology, J.J. Strossmayer University in Osijek, F. Kuhača 20, 31 000 Osijek, Croatia
3Veterinary Institute Una-Sana Canton, 77 000 Bihać, Bosnia and Herzegovina
4Colegium Fluminense Polytechnic of Rijeka Trpimirova 2/V, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2011;20(3):719-724
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
During the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina a large number of chemicals were released into the environment.
This research was conducted to evaluate the health safety of honey (meadow, chestnut, acacia,
amphorae, and honeydew) produced at 18 different locations in the region of Una-Sana Canton in the northwestern
part of Bosnia and Herzegovina. We determined the pesticides, heavy metals, radioactive elements,
and antibiotic residues in 46 honey samples. The content of pesticides and heavy metals (Pb, Cd, As) were not
found, and the concentration of Cu, Fe, Zn in all honey samples was in accordance with EU standards.
Statistically significant differences (ANOVA) in honey samples were found according to concentrations of Cu
(0.09-0.18 mg/kg), Fe (0.29-0.92 mg/kg), and Zn (0.18-1.38 mg/kg). The radionuclide content was determined
by means of low-level (<5 Bq/kg), using high-resolution gamma-spectroscopy (137Cs). Antibiotic residues were
carried out by disc plate method of microbiological antibiotic assay and all honey samples were negative. The
results of this work indicate that this area is not polluted and is suitable for the development of beekeeping.