Study and Estimation of Some Trace Elements (Ni, Cd, Pb) Content in Libyan Honey

The nutritional value of honey depends on its chemical composition, which is influenced by the surrounding environment such as the botanical source and geographical origin. In a study, these twenty samples of honey were collected from various regions in Libya and analyzed to illustrate this variation. During our study, we discovered that all honey samples were contaminated with trace elements, which can be attributed to various factors such as the use of steel or galvanized containers in processing, shipping, or storage, exposure to insecticides, and human activity. As a result, the interpretation of the results may not be entirely reliable due to the presence of various unknown variables. Electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry was utilized to analyze the tree trace elements Ni, Cd, and Pb. Furthermore, a statistical analysis was conducted to determine any existing correlation between the geographical origin and the variation in the presence of these elements from one sample to another. In addition, the pollen grains analysis of all honey samples was performed to identify the botanical source of each sample and interpret the variations in the nutritional value of the elements content from one sample to another. The ranges of the elements were as follows: Ni (0.20-0.75 mg/kg), Cd (0.250-1.75 mg/kg), and Pb (0.25-51.00 mg/kg).