Mineral content of honeybee-collected pollen from southern New South Wales

Abstract

The mineral content of honeybee-collected pollen from 34 floral species was analysed for 10 elements. The mean concentrations (mg/kg) of major and minor elements were the following: potassium (K) 5530, phosphorus (P) 4600, sulfur (S) 2378, calcium (Ca) 1146, magnesium (Mg) 716, sodium (Na) 82, iron (Fe) 67, zinc (Zn) 58, manganese (Mn) 33 and copper (Cu) 12. Close correlations existed between Mn and Cu, P and S, K and S and K and Zn. Single species demonstrated similar element profiles. Echium plantagineum pollen had a high mean concentration of P (7411 mg/kg) and S (3133 mg/kg) when compared with the mean of the total; Brassica napus pollen had high concentration of Mg (1400 mg/kg) and Ca (1750 mg/kg) and low concentration of Fe (27 mg/kg); Hypochoeris radicata had low concentrations of 6 elements — Fe (4.5 mg/kg), Zn (20 mg/kg), Mg (240 mg/kg), S (1400 mg/kg), P (2066 mg/kg) and K (2433 mg/kg). Asphodelus fistulosus had the highest concentration of K at 38 000 mg/kg, the next highest value of 8200 mg/kg being for Prunus dulcis.