CORELATION BETWEEN THE CONTENT OF HEAVY METALS (Pb, Cd and Cu) IN THE BEE
PRODUCTS AND THE BEES BODY

Olesea Gliga, Valentina Cebotari, I. Buzu

Abstract
   The aim of this paper is to determine the correlation between the content of heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Cu) in the bees body and bee products. The study was conducted by placing 12 hives with bees' families in four research areas (the forest area, the agricultural area, the transport area and industrial area) with different human impact. The forest area served as control where, practically, lacked sources of pollution. In the agricultural area the main sources of pollution are vehicles from nearby auto route, the former deposit of pesticides and agricultural machinery. The transport area is located at the periphery and is one affected by smoke gases from road transport undertaking of producing asphalt automobile market, vulcanization etc. At the periphery of the city is located the industrial area with impact of road transport, glass factory, factory, household chemical products, thermal and electrical station and other small enterprises. From every experimental family were taken bee pollen, honey and propolis samples, according to current regulations and transported to the laboratory for analysis. The content of heavy metals in the samples was determined using Atomic Absorption Spectrometry with thermal atomization (GFASS).
   Research results have shown that, between the concentration of heavy metals in pollen, honey bees and their content in the bee body exist a quite close positive correlative link. The highest values of correlation coefficients have been recorded between Cd content in pollen and bees (r_xy = 0.77; P < 0.001), between Pb content in pollen and bees (r_xy = 0.77; P < 0.001), pollen and honey (r_xy = 0.71; P < 0.001), honey and bees (r_xy = 0.68; P < 0.01) and between Cu content in pollen and bees (r_xy = 0.71; P < 0.001), pollen and honey (r_xy = 0.67; P < 0.01), honey and bees (r_xy = 0.62; P < 0.01). Someone correlative links between the concentration of heavy metals in propolis and other apiarian products (pollen, honey) and bees body, have not been identified.

Key words: bees, pollen, honey, propolis, heavy metals, correlation