ASSESSMENT OF ELEMENTS IN SOIL AND STINGLESS BEE HONEY AND ITS CORRELATION USING NAA AND ICP-MS
Abstract
Abstract
The objective of this study is to analyse the elemental concentration of two different environmental compartments namely stingless bee honey and its corresponding soil sample collected from the northern and central zone of Peninsular Malaysia that is Baling, Pulau Langkawi, Pulau Pinang, Perlis and Sepang using neutron activation analysis (NAA) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). 17 elements were analysed which include Al, As, Ba, Ce, Cr, Cs, Fe, Hf, Fe, La, Mg, Mn, Na, Sb, Th, V and Zn of various concentrations. Soil-honey elemental correlation studies were determined using Pearson’s correlation analysis which resulted in mostly weak and moderate correlation of the concentrations of the seventeen elements among the soil and honey samples. Only Cs was found to be highly correlated between stingless bee honey and the soils. Bioaccumulation from soil to honey was found to be relatively low with Na, K, Mg, Mn and Zn showed greater bioaccumulation than all the other elements.
Abstrak
Objektif kajian ini adalah untuk menganalisis kepekatan unsur dua petak alam sekitar yang berbeza iaitu madu lebah tanpa sengat dan sampel tanah yang sepadan yang dikumpul dari zon utara dan tengah Semenanjung Malaysia iaitu Baling, Pulau Langkawi, Pulau Pinang, Perlis dan Sepang menggunakan analisis pengaktifan neutron (NAA) dan spektrometri jisim plasma gandingan induktif (ICP-MS). 17 elemen telah dianalisis yang merangkumi Al, As, Ba, Ce, Cr, Cs, Fe, Hf, Fe, La, Mg, Mn, Na, Sb, Th, V dan Zn pelbagai kepekatan. Kajian korelasi unsur tanah-madu ditentukan menggunakan analisis korelasi Pearson yang menghasilkan korelasi kebanyakannya lemah dan sederhana bagi kepekatan tujuh belas unsur antara sampel tanah dan madu. Hanya Cs didapati sangat berkorelasi antara madu lebah tanpa sengat dan tanah. Bioakumulasi dari tanah kepada madu didapati agak rendah dengan Na, K, Mg, Mn dan Zn menunjukkan bioakumulasi yang lebih besar daripada semua unsur lain.
