Elements Of Concern
ByElements In A Beehive…
The periodic table helps me understand elements in their simplest form – whether they are a metal or non-metal, gas or a solid, and their properties which will become important as they are combined.
My environmental concern is the Decline in the bee population.
The elements I believe may be connected to the decline in the bee population are sodium(Na), magnesium(Mg), potassium(K), calcium(Ca), chromium(Cr), manganese(Mn), iron(Fe), cobalt(Co), nickel(Ni), copper(Cu), zinc(Zn), arsenic(As), cadmium(Cd), and lead(Pb)
The aim of this study was to evaluate the deposition in honey bees (worker bees, drone bees, and bee broods) and their products (wax and multiflora honey) in the central and north parts of Serbia using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS).
The study was carried out during the spring and summer seasons when the honeybees were active (2019). Fifty-four colonies of honey bees from different apiaries were used in this study. Significant differences in element concentrations were found among locations.
The highest deposition of elements (sodium, calcium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, zinc, arsenic, and cadmium) was found in worker bees. The most commonly detected elements in wax were chromium and lead. Mg had a significant correlation with K, Fe, Cu, and As.
This study shows that honey bees (worker bees, drone bees, and bee broods) could be more useful as bioindicators of environmental element deposition (toxic and non-toxic) than multiflora honey. Also, this study shows that Serbian multiflora honey meets safety criteria concerning the concentrations of toxic elements.
As for in honey the elements in it would include Calcium(Ca), Manganese(Mn), Phosphorus(P), Potassium(K), Sodium(Na)
Sources: