[Rapid and direct lead determination in honey].

Use of honey as a biological indicator for heavy metal contamination entails the analysis of a greater number of samples. To date the complex sugar matrix required sample preparation using digestion methods, which were time consuming and involved a high risk of contamination or loss. It is now possible, using the method described here, to measure lead in honey without degradation with the help of microprocessor-programmed conditions of temperature and time in the ggraphite tube of the Atomic-Absorption-Spectrophotometer. Two samples were analysed. One had a low lead content (I), the other had a high lead content (II). The statistical variation for a series of determinations was 8.3% (I, N=10) and 5.6% (II, N=22). These results can be considered satisfactory.