Concentrations of selected metals in honey consumed in Nigeria

Abstract

The concentration of metals, cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), cobalt (Co), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), and zinc (Zn) was measured in selected samples of honey in Nigeria with a view to providing information on the regional concentration profile of metals in these honeys. The honey samples were digested with a mixture of acids and analysed for metal concentrations using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The concentrations of metals (mg kg−1) in these honeys ranged from < 0.3 for Cd,<0.50–39.75 for Pb,<0.25–6.98 for Ni,<0.25–55.25 for Cr,<0.25–71.25 for Cu,<0.25–3.50 for Co,<5.0–163.15 for Fe,<11.0–31.75 for Mn and 1.0–31.0 for Zn. The concentrations of metals were relatively high but lower than their respective permissible limits in food except for Pb and Cu in some samples. The regional distribution patterns of metals indicated that honey samples from the Niger Delta region of Nigeria had higher mean concentrations of Ni, Cr, Co, Fe and Zn than honey samples from other regions. The honey samples from the northern region had higher mean concentrations of Pb and Cu.