engleski

Concentrations of mercury during honeybee wax procession

Beeswax foundations are necessary material in intensive modern beekeeping. In hives it plays an important role for honeybee colony as a part of construction material for comb cells where brood is situated, and where nectar and honey are stored. Honeybee wax can be a useful tool for collecting information about environmental contamination with toxic metals. Hg is the main toxic metal in environmental pollution that can contaminate apian products, primarily combs. Presence of Hg “in hive” contamination may cause a wide range of toxic effects, including organic, neurological or behavioural disorders. Also, it is a common beekeeping practice to continuously recycle wax, more precisely old combs. Because Hg cannot be destroyed or degraded, presence and its accumulation in honeybee wax, through the food chain can lead to ecological issues with dire consequences. The aim of this study was to determine and compare concentrations of Hg from material sampled from different layers of melted wax during the processing using casting technology with prolonged term of cooling, and comb foundations as final product. The concentrations of Hg in 24 beeswax samples were measured without acid digestion using the AMA-254 (Advanced Mercury Analyzer, Leco, Poland), which employs direct combustion of the sample in an oxygen-rich atmosphere. Measured values of Hg concentrations in different layers were in the range (µg/kg): 1, 0 – 95, 3 one day after resolving wax combs (and then the precipitate is removed), 2, 67 – 14, 5 after sterilisation and prolonged cooling with precipitation of seven days at 75 ⁰C. Obtained results can be an indication and recommendation to wax comb foundation producers to use described technology.

beeswax; comb foundations; mercury concentrations

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