ANALYSIS OF TRACE METALS IN

HONEY USING ATOMIC ABSORPTION

SPECTROSCOPY
(A PROJECT PROPOSAL)

BY

LULLAH-DEH Japhet Amana

15/8193/MSc
(B.Tech. ED, FUT-Yola)

NOVEMBER, 2016
 INTRODUCTION
Background Information
Honey is a sweet, flavorful natural
product, which is consumed due to its
high nutritive and health values.
It contains antioxidant, bacteriostatic,
anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial
properties, including wound and sunburn
healing effects.
Honey is produced by bees from plant
nectars, plant secretions and excretions
of plant-sucking insects.
 Statement of the Problem
Ggbaruko and Friday (2007), reported
that various activities by man have
increased the quantity and distributions
of heavy metals in the atmosphere, land
and water bodies.
The extent of these wide spread and
diffused contamination has raised
concern about their hazards on plants,
animals and humans.
For example harvesters of honey use
pesticides (Porrini et al., 2003), in Nigeria
smoke is used to keep off bees before
 Objectives of the study
To identify the source and types of
honey
To determine some physicochemical
characteristics of the honey samples
and compare with other honey
samples from other geographical
locations of the world.
To analyze the trace metals
(Cadmium, Chromium, iron, Zinc,
manganese, Lead, Arsenic, Copper,
Nickel and Cobalt) levels in honey
 Scope of Project
The research strictly focuses on the
physicochemical characteristics and
determinations of concentration of ten
trace metals as contained in the
objectives of the study (Cadmium,
Chromium, iron, Zinc, manganese, Lead,
Arsenic, Copper, Nickel and Cobalt) in five
honey samples collected from five
different locations (Maisamari, Kakara,
Dorofi, Kan-Iyaka and Mbamnga,) all on
Mambilla Plateau-Sardauna Local
Government Area of Taraba State.
 MATERIALS AND METHOD
Materials
Chemicals and reagents: Distilled/de-ionized water,
36% Conc. HCl acid, 0.1M NaOH, 70% Conc. HNO3 acid,
0.01M of 0.7456g KCl. All reagents to be used will be of
analytical grade.
Apparatus and equipment: Measuring cylinders,
Boiling tubes, Beaker, Wooden/glass rod stirrers, Petri
dish, Crucible, Stop watch, pH meter, Filter paper (What
mann), Empty polyethylene bottles, 50ml density bottles,
Analytical weighing balance, Oven, Viscometer, Hot
plate/burner, Conductivity meter, Funnel, Volumetric flask,
Laboratory Thermometer, Atomic Absorption spectrometer
(Thermo scientific 3000 series), Laboratory coat and
protective eye glass.
 Methods
Sample collection
The honey samples would be collected directly
from the bee-farmers sampled for investigation.
The samples will be collected from five sampling
points on Mambilla Plateau, Sardanna Local
Government Area of Taraba State.
The sample area will include Maisamari, 76.6km
from Gembu the Headquarters of the Local
Government, Kakara, 18km from Gembu, Dorofi,
25.2km from Gembu and Kan-Iyaka, 52.3km from
Gembu, Mbamnga, 15.2km from Gembu
 Table 61 Sampling Table
S/No State Local Government Area Sampling Sample Approximate
point code distance from
Gembu
1. Taraba Sardauna mambilla plateau Maisamari MS 76.6km

2. Taraba Sardauna Mambilla plateau Kakara KK 18km

3 Taraba Sardauna Mambilla Plateau Dorofi DF 25.2km

4 Taraba Sardauna Mambilla Plateau Kan-Iyaka KI 52.3km

5 Taraba Sardauna Mambilla Plateau Mbamga MG 15.2km

 Physicochemcial analyses
Determination of Temperature
About 50ml of each sample will be transferred in to
a beaker, a laboratory thermometer will be inserted.
This will be determined at point of sampling. The
readings on the thermometer will be recorded
(APHA, 1995).
Determination of electrical conductivity
This will determined by measuring 20g of honey
and dissolve in 100ml of distilled water mixed
thoroughly to form solution. Electrical conductivity
meter (model 20 Denver instruments) will be
immersed at 25C. m.
 Determination of Density
The pycnometry method will be used to
determine the density of the honey samples using
the expression below; W W g
p 2 1
3
V (cm )

Determination of pH
The pH of the honey sample will be
measured using a pH-meter (Crison 2001
model), from a solution containing 20g of
honey in 75ml of de-ionized water, the
readings will be recorded for each and
every sample (AOAC, 1990).
 Determination of moisture contents
The moisture content of each honey sample will be
by measuring 5g of the sample and placed into a
pre-weighed aluminum drying dish. The sample
will be dried to constant weight in an oven at 105C
for four hours under vacuum (Khalil et al., 2001).
Colour Determination
Determination of colour will be carried out using a
colour comparator. Clear blanks will be placed in
compartments, 1, 3, 5 of the comparator. The
honey sample will also be placed in compartment 2
or 4 of the comparator.
 USEPA vigorous digestion
Redistilled, conc. nitric acid solution will be used
to acidify the entire sample to a pH of less than two.
The samples will not be filtered before digestion.
Appropriate sample volumes will be the
transferred into a beaker and 3mL of concentrated
redistilled conc nitric acid will be added.
The beaker will be placed on hot plate and
evaporated to near dryness, making sure that the
samples do not boil.
The beaker will be cooled and another 3ml of
concentrated redistilled nitric acid will be added.
 USEPA vigorous digestion contineous
The beaker will be covered with watch glass and
they will be returned to the hot plate. The
temperature of the hot plate will be increased so
that a gentle reflux occurs. More acid will be
added if necessary, until the digestion is complete
(when it is light in color or does not change with
continuous refluxing).
The sample will be evaporated to near dryness,
and then the beaker will be cooled again. If the
precipitate results from the evaporation, redistilled
conc. hydrochloric acid (5ml per 100ml of the final
volume) will be added.
 USEPA vigorous digestion contineous
The sample will be warmed and the sample pH
will be adjusted to 4 by drop-wise addition of
5.0M sodium hydroxide standard solution, will be
mixed thoroughly and the pH after each addition
will be monitored.
The sample will be quantitatively transferred
into a volumetric flask and diluted to a volume of
100mL with de-ionized water.
Blank solution will be prepared to match the
sample.
 Experimental Analysis
The experimental data obtained in this
study will be analysed statistically using
mean, standard deviation and students t-
test analysis of variance (ANOVA) will be
used to determine any possible variation
at probability, p 0.05 level of
significance between the result of metals
(Costat, 1986).
THANKS FOR LISTENING