Determination of Metal Contents in Pollen Samples Collected From Different Regions in Turkey

Beekeeping is considered one of the most important agricultural activities around the world.Turkey has important place among the honey producer countries, it is placed the 2rd (for beehives) and 2th, position among the honey producing countries in the world. In Turkey, thereare about 8 million bee hives producing about 105,000 million tons of honeys. Although allregions of Turkey are suitable for apiculture, the Aegean, Black Sea, and Mediterraneanregions are considered to be the most important. Pollen is an important food for humans. Itsimportance is not only nutritional, but it is also a bio-indicator for environmental pollution.Bees fly intensively in a radius of up to 5 km, and for this reason they and their products canserve as bio-indicators for the contamination of the area. A number of authors have usedhoney bees and/or their products for monitoring environmental pollution. Air and watercontain heavy metals from industry and traffic, which can contaminate the bee colonies andtheir products. Factories, industrial organizations, environmental waste incineration and highautomobile traffic congestion situations like can lead to the release of the following metals:aluminum, copper, iron, lead, magnesium, silicon, zinc, barium, cadmium, chromium, nickel,palladium, platinum. The aim of this study is to evaluate some metal (Al, Co, Cu, Fe, Mg,Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn) contents of pollens, collected from different regions (Marmara, Aegean,Black Sea, Mediterranean, Central Anatolia, Eastern Anatolia) of Turkey.In this study the concentrations of some elements in 29 pollen samples were investigated.Samples were obtained from beekeepers. The levels of Al, Co, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ni, Pb andZn elements in pollen samples were determined by ICP-OES instrument. The samples weredigested in microwave oven using nitric acid and hydrogen peroxide. The mean concentrationof elements and the lowest and highest values were determined. As a result of analysis, theconcentration of elements in pollen samples were detected as 67,32±45,08 ppb, 0.01±0,02ppb, 7,12±1,33 ppb, 108,59±60,62 ppb, 491,82±108,25 ppb, 23,66±14,38 ppb, 1,01±0,82 ppb,0,31±0,13 ppb and 20,56±4,79 ppb, for Al, Co, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn respectively.To conclude, the concentrations of detected heavy metals in collected pollen samples werebelow the maximum residue limits of some international residue limits. Therefore, it wouldnot pose a risk to human health. This study can contribute other studies, which will be carriedout in other regions and provinces, in the determination of possible element concentrations inpollen. Research on this subject are important in terms of public health.