الفهرس 
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Abstract
Thirty three honey samples were collected during 2004-2010 from 16 governorates in north, middle and south of Egypt, were analysed with respect to concentration of copper (Cu), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn), in mg/100 gm honey and in p.p.m., as an indicator of environment pollution. Chemical analysis was conducted in Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University.
Part I: Relationship between locality or geographical origin of honey and content of heavy elements:
Seventeen bee honey samples from ten governorates in northern honey) was ranged from 0.148 to 0.492 mg with a mean of 0.3049 mg, while lead (Pb) content was ranged from 0.004 to 0.074 mg/100 gm with an average of 0.1254 mg/100 gm. Zinc (Zn) content was ranged from 0.284 mg to 2.050 mg, with a mean of 0.6903 mg/100.
Four bee honey samples from two governorates in middle of Egypt were examined for Cu, Pb and Zn content. Copper content (mg) was ranged from 0.154 to 0.358 mg with a mean of 0.2453 mg/100 gm, while Pb content was ranged from 0.006 to 0.032 mg with an average from 0.346 to 1.098 mg with an average of 0.8335 mg/100 gm honey.
Twelve bee honey samples from four governorates (Assiut, Sohag, Qena and Red Sea) were used during this work. Cu content was ranged from 0.025 to 0.358 mg with a mean of 0.2925 mg/100 gm, while Pb concentration was ranged from 0.004 to 0.066 mg, with a mean of 0.0181 mg. Zn content was ranged from 0.308 to 1.094 mg with an average of 0.6483 mg/100 gm.
In general, maximum content of Cu (in mg/100 gm honey) or 0.492 mg was found in clover honey sample No. 2 from Cairo Governorate, while minimum content of Cu, or 0.025 mg was determined in honey sample No. 13 of medicinal and aromatic plants from Assiut Governorate.
In general, maximum content of Pb (in mg/100 gm honey) or 0.074 mg was found in citrus honey sample No. 22 from Alexandria Governorate, while minimum content of Pb, or 0.004 mg was determined in honey sample No. 18 in clover honey fro El-Gharbia and in honey sample No. 13 of medicinal and aromatic plants honey from Assiut.
Maximum content of Zn (mg/100 gm honey) or 2.050 mg was determined in honey sample No. 19, of sesame honey from Suez Governorate, while minimum content of Zn, or 0.284 mg was found in honey sample No. 11 of citrus honey from El-Kalubia Governorate.
General mean of Cu, Pb and Zn content (in mg/100 gm honey) was 0.2932, 0.0214 and 0.6924 mg, respectively. Maximum mean was observed with Zinc content which was 2.362 and 32.355 times more than Cu and Pb content, respectively.
In general, Cu content in tested Egyptian honey samples was ranged from 0.0052 to 0.0264 p.p.m. with an average of 0.016109 p.p.m. Pb content (in p.p.m.) in tested Egyptian honey samples was ranged from 0.0003 to 0.0080 p.p.m. with an average of 0.001497 p.p.m. In general zinc content (in p.p.m.) in all tested Egyptian honey samples was ranged from 0.0142 to 0.0125 p.p.m., with an average of 0.0407 p.p.m.
General mean of Cu, Pb and Zn content (in p.p.m.) was 0.0161, 0.00150 and 0.0407 p.p.m., respectively, in tested Egyptian honey samples. Maximum general mean was observed with zinc content which was 2.528 and 27.133 times more than Pb and Cu content, respectively.
In all tested honey samples collected from different localities in north, middle and south of Egypt, and Red Sea region, maximum content of copper (Cu), or 0.492 mg/100 gm honey, was found in sample No. 2 (clover honey, Fac. of Agric., Cairo Univ.), while maximum record of lead (Pb), or 0.074 mg, and zinc (Zn), or 2.050 mg/100 gm honey, was noticed in sample No. 22 (citrus honey, desert road, Alexandria), and sample No. 19 (sesame honey from Suez region), respectively. High content of tested heavy metals, was observed with (Zn), in other three samples (No. 3, 26, and 32).
Taking mean of tested elements metals content of north, middle and south of Egypt, in consideration, maximum mean content of (Cu), or 0.3049 mg/100 gm honey, and of (Pb), or 0.0254 mg was found in northern Egypt, while for (Zn), or 0.8335 mg, it was detected in middle of Egypt. Minimum mean content of (Cu) or (Pb), was found in middle of Egypt, while for (Zn) it was detected in southern Egypt. In general high content of (Zn) was noticed, followed by Cu and Pb. It is possible to conclude that, low contamination of honey with trace elements (in p.p.m.) was found in southern Egypt. Highly significant differences, (L.S.D. 0.05 = 0.001975), were counted for lead content (in p.p.m.) between samples from middle of Egypt from one side, and each of northern and southern Egypt.
In northern Egypt, maximum and (minimum)/content of tested heavy metals in different governorates were as follows: Cu: in Kafr El-Sheikh and (Gharbia); Pb: in Alexandria and (Dakahlia); and Zn: in Suez and (Kalubia).
In middle of Egypt, maximum and (minimum)/mean content of examined heavy metals in different governorates were as follow Cu in El-Minia and (Beni-Suef); Pb and Zn in Beni-Suef and (El-Minia).
In southern Egypt, maximum and (mininumu) mean contents of studied heavy metals in different governorates were as follow: Cu in Sohag and (Assiut); Pb in Qena and (Assiut); and Zn: in Qena and (Sohag).
Part II- Relationship between honey types or obtained origin of honey and content of heavy elements in Egypt:
Relationship between honey types, or botanical origin of honey and mean heavy metals contents were investigated.
Maximum mean of: (Cu), or 0.468 mg/100 gm honey; (Pb) or 0.040 mg; and (Zn), or 1.357 mg/100 gm honey, was detected in eucalyptus, citrus and sesame honeys, respectively.
Minimum mean of (Cu), or 0.1743 mg; and (Pb) or 0.0125 mg/100 gm honey was determined in medicinal and aromatic plants honey, while minimum mean of (Zn) content was found in citrus honey. This reflects the merits of honeys of medicinal and aromatic plants in Egypt. Also, less contamination with tested trace elements (in p.p.m.) was noticed in mangroves honey from Red Sea region.
Maximum means of Cu, Pb and Zn were 2.69, 3.20 and 4.11 times more than those of minimum means of tested heavy elements.
The highest quantity (mg) of tested elements and their associated honey types samples were as follow: Cu, 0.492 mg in sample No. 2 of clover honey; Pb, 0.074 mg in sample No. 22 of citrus honey, and Zn, 2.05 mg in sample No. 19 of sesame honey.
Insignificant differences between Cu, Pb and Zn content (in mg/100 gm or in p.p.m.) between all types of honeys.
The least quantity (mg) of tested elements and their associated honey types were as follow: Cu, 0.119 mg in sample No. 14 of sunflower honey; Pb, 0.004 mg in sample No. 18 of clover honey, and Zn, 0.284 mg in sample No. 11 of citrus honey.
In recent study, Cu content was ranged from 0.250 to 4.920 mg/kg with a mean of 2.932 mg/kg, or less than the acceptable limits, while Pb content was ranged from 0.04 to 0.74 mg/kg., with a mean of 0.214 mg/kg, or less than acceptable limits. However, in three of examined sample, No. 12, 22 and 29, lead concentration was 0.44, 0.74, and 0.66 mg/kg, or more than acceptable limits. The samples were from El-Sharkia (cotton honey), Alexandria (citrus honey) and Qena (clover honey), respectively.
Part III: Relationship between years of honey production and content of tested heavy metals:
Relationship between years of honey production or storage period and heavy metals content in honey were studied.
Minimum mean content of (Cu), or 0.119 mg, and (Pb), or 0.009 mg were detected in 2004-honey, while maximum mean or 0.338 mg Cu and 0.0256 mg Pb, were recorded in 2010-honey samples. These reflects produced more environmental pollution from 2004 to 2010, in Egypt.
Maximum mean content of (Zn) was noticed in 2005-honey, then decreased in 2007-honey, and afterwards gradually increased till 2010 year.
Insignificant differences were noticed in heavy metals content from different honey types of years of honey production.
During this work, heavy metals (Cu, Pb, Zn) were found in all Egyptian honey samples. Thus it is possible to say that no organic honey is found in Egypt. More studies are needed on other trace elements and pollutants of the environmental components and other honey bee products in Egypt.
Insignificant differences were detected with respect to Cu, Pb and Zn concentration (in mg/100 gm, or in p.p.m.) between honeys produced in years from 2004 to 2010.
Average content of Pb, in the recent work, was increased from 0.090 mg/kg during 2004 to 0.256 mg/kg, or about three times more during 2010, which reflect more environmental pollution.
Relationship between concentration (in mg/100 gm) of Cu, Pb and Zn in tested honeys was calculated. Correlation coefficient between content of tested elements were found to be insignificant and ranged from +0.0355 to +0.2446.
During the recent work, copper, lead and zinc were detected in all thirty three Egyptian honey samples. Certain studies are recommended in bees with other hive products in different environmental habitats with different components such as: water, soil and air in and outside honey bee colonies.