Assessment of essential minerals and toxic trace metals in blended raw honey, soil, leaf and flower samples harvested from different locations of Kannad Taluka of Aurangabad District

Abstract

The concentrations of eight essential minerals Ca, Cr, Co Cu, Fe, Mn, Ag, Zn and five toxic trace metals As, Cd, Pb, Hg and Ni were determined in blended raw honey, soil, leaf and flowers harvested from different locations of Kannad taluka. Result reveals that all honey samples from agricultural and road side area was contaminated with toxic trace metals. The honey samples harvested from forest area have no or lower concentrations of toxic trace metals than the permissible limits set by Indian standards (2010). The concentrations of these metals in honey samples investigated do not pose any serious concern to human health except honey harvested from road side area. Hence, the honey produced from Kannad taluka can be considered nutritionally safe and represents good quality. The present data also indicate that the levels of toxic trace metals in honey are comparatively more in roadway area than agricultural and forest areas. The essential minerals in soil, leaf and flower samples comparatively more in agricultural area than roadway and forest areas. The toxic trace metals are more in roadway sides than agricultural and forest areas.