Determination of Naphthalene Concentration in Honey a New Method using by HS-GC/MS (Headspace-Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry)

Abstract

Honey is seen by people as a very significant food. It is included in diets and used for the treatment of many diseases. However, contamination of honey, which is a source of healing, with harmful components from the outside makes honey harmful. Pesticides are known to be detected in honey. These pests are transmitted to honey by environmental conditions or incorrect beekeeping practices. Naphthalene is used by beekeepers to prevent mothballing of honeycombs or honey contaminated with honey due to environmental reasons. Naphthalene, which has carcinogenic properties, also causes different diseases. Therefore, the concentration of naphthalene in honey should not exceed a certain limit. For the determination of this, many different analysis methods are developed and applied. In this study, the naphthalene concentration of honey from Bingöl province and its districts, one of the important beekeeping centers in Turkey, was determined by a new HS-GC/MS method that does not require sample preparation. No naphthalene concentration was detected in eight different honey samples. The fact that naphthalene concentration was not detected in honeys from Bingöl province indicates that beekeepers do not use naphthalene and that naphthalene is not contaminated by environmental factors.