EN
The aim of the presented study was to determine the concentration of lead and cadmium content in randomly selected apiaries of the Warmia and Mazury province. The study was carried out on apiaries in the central, northern, western and eastern part of the province. Presence of lead and cadmium were found in all bee samples. The highest concentration of Pb (0.531 µg/g) was ascertained in bees in apiaries from the northern part of the province, a little less (0.464 µg/g) from the western part, and the lowest (0.390 µg/g) in the centrally situated districts of the province. In bees from apiaries located in the eastern part of the province, Pb content fluctuated between 0.135 µg/g and 0.190 µg/g in two apiaries and in one, situated north of Śniardwy Lake, the concentration of Pb was 1.421 µg/g. The level of cadmium in bees was considerably lower than that of lead. The highest content of Cd was found in apiaries from central and northern part of the province (0.178 µg/g and 0.166 µg/g, respectively), and the lowest in Piska Forest and at its perimeters (0.081 µg/g). The environment influences the diverse concentration of lead and cadmium in bees in Warmia and Mazury province; in apiaries situated near busy routes as well as in regions with intensive husbandry the level of these elements was higher than in remaining districts.