Geospatial Biomonitoring of Pb and Cd Contamination in Bee Honey and Their Impact on Hydrogen Peroxide Activity

Authors: Shaker, A.M.; Mohammad, Abeer M.; Zidan, E.W.
Geospatial Biomonitoring of Pb and Cd Contamination in Bee Honey and Their Impact on Hydrogen Peroxide Activity
DOI
10.25125/ijoear-may-2026-8
DIN
IJOEAR-MAY-2026-8
Abstract

Honey is globally revered as a complex bioactive matrix with potent therapeutic and antimicrobial virtues. However, its chemical integrity is increasingly threatened by escalating environmental degradation. This study aimed to evaluate the concentrations of cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) in honey samples taken from four environments: industrial, highway, agricultural, and rural, and to investigate their relationship to hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) production as an indicator of its antimicrobial activity. A clear pollution variation was observed, with honey samples from industrial environments recording the highest levels of cadmium (0.041 ± 0.004 mg/kg) and lead (0.12 ± 0.009 mg/kg), followed by honey samples from highway environments, and then agricultural environments. Rural honey recorded the lowest concentrations (cadmium: 0.010 ± 0.001 mg/kg; lead: 0.028 ± 0.003 mg/kg). Hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) production varied significantly with different levels of contamination and dilution ratios (25%, 50%, and 75%), peaking at a 50% dilution. Rural honey region exhibited the highest enzyme activity (42.8 ± 3.1 µg/g/h), while industrial honey region showed the lowest (28.6 ± 2.2 µg/g/h). A strong inverse correlation was found between heavy metal concentrations and hydrogen peroxide production, suggesting that cadmium and lead may inhibit glucose oxidase activity, thereby reducing honey's antimicrobial efficacy. These results highlight that honey from less polluted environments has superior biological properties, and emphasize the need for continuous monitoring of heavy metal pollution to ensure product safety and therapeutic quality.

Keywords
Bee honey Heavy metals H₂O₂ Environmental pollution.
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Introduction

Honeybees rely on four essential natural resources for their survival: water, resin, nectar, and pollen (Seeley, 2022). However, the concentration of heavy metals within honey is influenced by several variables, including the botanical origin of the flora visited, as well as prevailing ecological and climatic conditions (Clara et al., 2014). Furthermore, anthropogenic activities in the vicinity of apiaries play a decisive role in the elevation of metal concentrations in bee products (Bogdanov, 2006; Silici et al., 2016). In the contemporary discourse on environmental sustainability, Honey is considered an important bioindicator of environmental contamination due to the wide foraging activity of honeybees (Pohl, 2009; Bilandžić et al., 2019). The unique foraging ecology of Apis mellifera, covering vast areas of diverse flora, soil, and water, enables the honey matrix to function as a cumulative sentinel for environmental health (Bargańska et al., 2016; Pallottini et al., 2025). However, the chemical integrity of honey is increasingly compromised by the expansion of industrial hubs and high-traffic corridors, leading to significant fluctuations in (Anand, S., Deighton, M., 2019) Lead (Pb) and Cadmium (Cd) concentrations (Bogdanov, 2006; Staniškienė et al., 2006). While atmospheric Pb is primarily associated with industrial emissions and vehicular exhaust, Cd sequestration is frequently a byproduct of intensive agricultural practices and the persistent application of phosphate fertilizers (Al-Waili et al., 2025; Forster et al., 2023).

Beyond the immediate concerns of bioaccumulation, these heavy metals induce a profound and synergistic interference with the honey's redox-active matrix. The therapeutic value of honey is fundamentally anchored in its non-peroxide antimicrobial potency, driven by the enzymatic generation of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) via the glucose oxidase pathway (White et al., 1965; Brudzynski, 2020). Divalent ions like Pb²⁺ and Cd²⁺ act as aggressive non-competitive inhibitors; they exhibit a high affinity for the thiol groups (-SH) and active sites of the glucose oxidase protein (Sereia et al., 2017; Kędzierska-Matysek et al., 2018). This molecular binding triggers structural deformation and irreversible enzymatic denaturation, effectively silencing the honey's "oxidative shield" against bacterial pathogens. Furthermore, metallic contaminants often catalyze Fenton-like reactions, where the stable H₂O₂ reservoir is prematurely diverted into the formation of highly reactive hydroxyl radicals (•OH), depleting the natural antioxidant capacity and degrading bioactive polyphenols and flavonoids (Cianciosi et al., 2018).

Conclusion

The present study clearly demonstrates that environmental conditions play a crucial role in determining both the safety and functional quality of bee honey. Honey samples collected from industrial and highway regions exhibited elevated levels of heavy metals, particularly Pb and Cd, compared to those from agricultural and rural areas, reflecting the direct impact of anthropogenic pollution sources. In parallel, hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) production, which represents a key indicator of honey's antimicrobial activity, showed significant variation among samples and dilution levels. The highest enzymatic activity was consistently observed at 50% dilution, confirming the existence of an optimal dilution threshold for glucose oxidase activation. Notably, honey from less polluted environments demonstrated significantly higher H₂O₂ production, whereas samples with higher heavy metal contamination exhibited reduced bioactivity. The observed inverse relationship between heavy metal concentrations and hydrogen peroxide production highlights the detrimental effect of environmental contaminants on enzymatic systems in honey. This suggests that pollution not only compromises the chemical safety of honey but also diminishes its biological and therapeutic properties. Overall, the findings emphasize the dual role of honey as both a nutritious food product and a sensitive bioindicator of environmental pollution. Continuous monitoring of heavy metals in bee honey, along with evaluation of its functional properties, is essential to ensure product quality, protect public health, and support sustainable apicultural practices.

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