Accumulation Of Heavy Metals In The Body Of Honey Bees

Massive death of bee colonies (collapse) requires a close study of its causes. Scientists make various proposals, some of them are quite logical, but have no direct justification. In many publications, pollution of environment by heavy metals is considered as the cause of bee colonies death, since urban areas are subjected to increased techno genic pollution. Vehicles are the cause of environment pollution. Exploitation of vehicles results in intensive ejection of heavy metals into the environment released with exhaust gases and while cars are exposed to the road surface. The combustion of leaded fuel is accompanied by the release of lead (1 liter of gasoline contains up to 0.5 g of tetraethyl lead). While combustion of lubricating oils cadmium is released. A large amount of this element is formed as a result of abrasion of tires on asphaltic concrete. Lead and cadmium, which are highly toxic, accumulate in soil and vegetation and spread along trophic chains, pose a threat to bees' life. The influence of a busy highway on the body pollution of honey bees has been studied in this article. In bees, the least amount of studied pollutants has been accumulated in the head sections, the largest in rectum (hind gut). A relatively large amount of lead Pb and cadmium Cd found in the body of honey bees has been accumulated in the territory with a distance of 0.5 1 km from the highway.