Comparative Assessment of the Heavy and Trace Metal Levels in Honey Produced within Nsukka and Enugu Metropolis

The concentration of eight heavy and trace metals (Na, K, Hg, Cu, Zn, Cr, Cd and Pb) were determined in honeys produced within Nsukka and Enugu Metropolis using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer after micro-wave assisted acid digestion. The concentrations of the metals analyzed in the honeys from the studied environments were compared using ANOVA. The study detected the eight heavy and trace metals in the honey samples at concentrations within their respective WHO permissible limits. The mean concentration of the metals in the honey produced within Nsukka metropolis decreased in the following order: K > Na > Cu > Zn > Cr > Pb > Cd > Hg, with values of 163.47 ± 18.10, 90.74 ± 10.33, 58.11 ± 6.94, 40.06 ± 9.63, 6.67 ± 0.61, 0.175 ± 0.030, 0.088 ± 0.026 and 0.046 ± 0.012 µg/g respectively. Also, the mean concentrations of the metals in the honey produced within Enugu metropolis decreased in the following order: K > Na > Cu > Zn > Cr > Pb > Hg > Cd, with values of 136.05 ± 11.26, 72.82 ± 8.14, 45.57 ± 6.46, 37.11 ± 7.30, 5.40 ± 0.95, 0.35 ± 0.08, 0.163 ± 0.03 and 0.130 ± 0.067 µg/g respectively. With the exception of Zn, the concentrations of the other studied metals in the honeys produced from the two environments were statistically significant at p< 0.05.