Analysis of chemical elements in honey samples in the territory of Kosovo

Abstract

The aim of the study was to investigate the content of macro- and microelements in fresh multi-flower honey from different regions of Kosovo. The samples of fresh honey were collected in July and September 2019 from 99 sampling locations. The samples were mineralised by microwave method and analysed by inductively coupled plasma - atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) and inductively coupled plasma - mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Three groups of elements of mixed origin were identified by Factor analysis; the first group is mainly of anthropogenic origin (Mo, Pb, Sb, Se, Ti, Tl) and two other groups are of mixed anthropogenic and geogenic origin (As, K, Mg, Mn, P and Ag, Al, Li). The contents of some elements in honey from Kosovo were determined within the following mean values: Ca: 110, Mn: 2.4, Mg: 65, P: 75, Zn: 2.8, Cu: 2.0, Fe: 4.6, Na: 56 and K: 970 mg/kg. The contents of the elements in the samples can be given in the following descending order: K > Ca > P > Mg > Na > Fe > Zn > Mn > Cu. In addition, it was found that the average contents of some heavy metals are as follows: Cd: 23 µg/kg, Cr: 0.38 mg/kg, Pb: 0.20 mg/kg, As: 6.8 µg/kg, which are below the limit allowed by the Codex Alimentarius CXS 193–1995 of the Food and Agriculture Organisation and the World Health Organisation (FAO/WHO).