Elemental Composition and Biochemical Properties of Honey as a Reflection of Environmental Quality

Najat Zaid Mohammad; Kamaran Abdoulrahman Kayanee; Abdulkarim Y. Karim

doi:10.21271/ZJPAS.36.4.1

Authors

Najat Zaid Mohammad Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Salahaddin University-Erbil, Erbil,Kurdistan Region, Iraq.
Kamaran Abdoulrahman Kayanee Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Salahaddin University-Erbil, Erbil,Kurdistan Region, Iraq. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5982-2928
Abdulkarim Y. Karim Department of Biology, College of Science, Salahaddin University-Erbil, Erbil,Kurdistan Region, Iraq. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8829-9769

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21271/ZJPAS.36.4.1

Keywords:

honey, heavy metals in honey

Abstract

Honey represents the reflection of the surrounding environment and it is used as a biomarker for pollutants in the environment. It is noteworthy and necessary that the food be free of heavy metals and toxic compounds. In this research, a comprehensive survey of essential and non-essential elements along with heavy metals was carried out for honey samples collected from honey-rich areas in Iraqi Kurdistan region. The biochemical properties of honey and 20 elements were studied. The honey samples showed pH values ranged between (3.66 –7.05 ), acidity (9 –35 meq/kg), moisture percent (12-16.1% ), conductance ( 0.203 –1.063 mS/m), diastase enzyme activity ( 11.1 -65 IU), HMF (1.46 –48 ) and the average of sugar content ( 3.14, 27.2, 39.2, and 77.8) for sucrose, glucose, fructose and total sugar percentage, respectively. The mean values of the analyzed elements (Pb, Sb, As, Zn, Cu, Ni, Co, Fe, Mn, Cr, V, Ti, Mg, Al, Sr, Ba, Cd, Se, Mo and Be) were (0.050, 0.037, 0.005, 0.916, 1.096, 0.257, 0.034, 6.977, 1.232, 2.309, 1.355, 0.033, 0.0, 74.803, 61.565, 1.300, 0.178, 0.008, 0.366 and 0.039 mg/kg), respectively. A single sample from Erbil governorate showed a high quantity of aluminum, and the highest value for Pb was found in honey samples from Sulaymaniyah governorate. Additionally, the highest concentration of all the other important nutrients was detected in Sulaymaniyah honey samples. The final findings demonstrated that the honey from Kurdistan region is not contaminated with heavy metals (HM) and contains sufficient essential nutrients that are necessary to human health, supporting the high quality of the region’s honey.1Department of Chemistry, College of Science, SalahaddinUniversity-Erbil, Erbil,KurdistanRegion, Iraq.ZANCOJournal of Pure and Applied SciencesKEY WORDS:Honey, elements, heavy metal, Kurdistan region.TYPEOriginalResearchDOIhttp://dx.doi.org/10.21271/ZJPAS.36.4.1

Author Biographies

Kamaran Abdoulrahman Kayanee, Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Salahaddin University-Erbil, Erbil,Kurdistan Region, Iraq.

Abdulkarim Y. Karim, Department of Biology, College of Science, Salahaddin University-Erbil, Erbil,Kurdistan Region, Iraq.

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