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<article xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:ali="http://www.niso.org/schemas/ali/1.0/" article-type="research-article" dtd-version="1.2" xml:lang="en"><front><journal-meta><journal-id journal-id-type="publisher-id">RUDN Journal of Agronomy and Animal Industries</journal-id><journal-title-group><journal-title xml:lang="en">RUDN Journal of Agronomy and Animal Industries</journal-title><trans-title-group xml:lang="ru"><trans-title>Вестник Российского университета дружбы народов. Серия: Агрономия и животноводство</trans-title></trans-title-group></journal-title-group><issn publication-format="print">2312-797X</issn><issn publication-format="electronic">2312-7988</issn><publisher><publisher-name xml:lang="en">Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia named after Patrice Lumumba</publisher-name></publisher></journal-meta><article-meta><article-id pub-id-type="publisher-id">20366</article-id><article-id pub-id-type="doi">10.22363/2312-797X-2026-21-2-372-388</article-id><article-id pub-id-type="edn">JYNEPW</article-id><article-categories><subj-group subj-group-type="toc-heading" xml:lang="en"><subject>Veterinary science</subject></subj-group><subj-group subj-group-type="toc-heading" xml:lang="ru"><subject>Ветеринария</subject></subj-group><subj-group subj-group-type="article-type"><subject>Research Article</subject></subj-group></article-categories><title-group><article-title xml:lang="en">Heavy metal content in propolis and propolis extracts</article-title><trans-title-group xml:lang="ru"><trans-title>Тяжелые металлы в прополисе и его экстрактах</trans-title></trans-title-group></title-group><contrib-group><contrib contrib-type="author"><contrib-id contrib-id-type="orcid">https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8159-5856</contrib-id><contrib-id contrib-id-type="spin">1986-9523</contrib-id><name-alternatives><name xml:lang="en"><surname>Vakhonina</surname><given-names>Elena A.</given-names></name><name xml:lang="ru"><surname>Вахонина</surname><given-names>Елена Александровна</given-names></name></name-alternatives><bio xml:lang="en"><p>Candidate of Agricultural Sciences, Leading Researcher at the Department of Chemical and Biological Studies of Beekeeping Products</p></bio><bio xml:lang="ru"><p>кандидат сельскохозяйственных наук, ведущий научный сотрудник отдела химико-биологических исследований продуктов пчеловодства</p></bio><email>landych899@gmail.com</email><xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff1"/></contrib><contrib contrib-type="author"><contrib-id contrib-id-type="orcid">https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6473-1393</contrib-id><contrib-id contrib-id-type="spin">4089-5972</contrib-id><name-alternatives><name xml:lang="en"><surname>Romanova</surname><given-names>Elena P.</given-names></name><name xml:lang="ru"><surname>Романова</surname><given-names>Елена Петровна</given-names></name></name-alternatives><bio xml:lang="en"><p>Candidate of Agricultural Sciences, Leading Researcher at the Laboratory of Selection and Molecular Genetic Studies of Honey Bees</p></bio><bio xml:lang="ru"><p>кандидат сельскохозяйственных наук, ведущий научный сотрудник лаборатории селекции и молекулярно-генетических исследований медоносных пчел</p></bio><email>elena.p56@yandex.ru</email><xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff1"/></contrib></contrib-group><aff-alternatives id="aff1"><aff><institution xml:lang="en">Federal Beekeeping Research Centre</institution></aff><aff><institution xml:lang="ru">ФГБНУ «ФНЦ пчеловодства»</institution></aff></aff-alternatives><pub-date date-type="pub" iso-8601-date="2026-08-30" publication-format="electronic"><day>30</day><month>08</month><year>2026</year></pub-date><volume>21</volume><issue>2</issue><issue-title xml:lang="en">VOL 21, NO1 (2026)</issue-title><issue-title xml:lang="ru">ТОМ 21, №1 (2026)</issue-title><fpage>372</fpage><lpage>388</lpage><history><date date-type="received" iso-8601-date="2026-08-31"><day>31</day><month>08</month><year>2026</year></date></history><permissions><copyright-statement xml:lang="en">Copyright ©; 2026, Vakhonina E.A., Romanova E.P.</copyright-statement><copyright-statement xml:lang="ru">Copyright ©; 2026, Вахонина Е.А., Романова Е.П.</copyright-statement><copyright-year>2026</copyright-year><copyright-holder xml:lang="en">Vakhonina E.A., Romanova E.P.</copyright-holder><copyright-holder xml:lang="ru">Вахонина Е.А., Романова Е.П.</copyright-holder><ali:free_to_read xmlns:ali="http://www.niso.org/schemas/ali/1.0/"/><license><ali:license_ref xmlns:ali="http://www.niso.org/schemas/ali/1.0/">https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0</ali:license_ref></license></permissions><self-uri xlink:href="https://agrojournal.rudn.ru/agronomy/article/view/20366">https://agrojournal.rudn.ru/agronomy/article/view/20366</self-uri><abstract xml:lang="en"><p>The aim of the study was to determine the content of heavy metals in native propolis and its extracts: alcoholic extracts (5%, 20%, and concentrated 70%) and aqueous extracts of propolis prepared via different methods, in order to optimize production technology and minimize the transfer of toxic metals into the final product. The concentrations of three toxic metals (Cr, Cd, Pb) were determined in native propolis samples from the Ryazan region and in the indicated extracts. The content of these pollutants was assessed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The results showed the presence of all analyzed metals in native propolis samples. The concentrations of elements ranged from 0 to 0.92 mg/kg for Pb, from 0 to 0.2 mg/kg for Cd, and from 0 to 1.54 mg/kg for Cr. Native propolis can be considered an indicator of toxic metals in the environment. For all analyzed metals, a significant decrease in their concentration was observed upon transfer into ethanolic and aqueous propolis extracts, making the product safe for consumption. The presence of toxic heavy metals necessitates quality control of bee products before their use as food additives. Given that bee products are highly heterogeneous and vary in elemental content depending on environmental factors, standards should be developed to regulate permissible levels of inorganic pollutants.</p></abstract><trans-abstract xml:lang="ru"><p>Цель исследования - определить содержание тяжелых металлов в нативном прополисе и его экстрактах: спиртовых 5- и 20%-м и спиртовом концентрированном 70%-м; водных экстрактах прополиса, приготовленных разными способами для оптимизации технологии производства и минимизации поступления в конечный продукт токсичных металлов. Определены концентрации трех токсичных металлов (Cr, Cd, Pb) в образцах нативного прополиса Рязанской области и указанных экстрактах. Содержание загрязняющих веществ оценивали методом атомно-абсорбционной спектрофотометрии. Результаты показали присутствие всех проанализированных металлов в образцах нативного прополиса. Концентрации элементов варьировались в пределах: 0…0,92 мг/кг для Pb, 0…0,2 мг/кг для Cd, 0…1,54 мг/кг для Cr. Нативный прополис можно рассматривать как индикатор токсичных металлов в окружающей среде. Для всех проанализированных металлов наблюдалось значительное снижение их концентрации при переходе в этанольные и водные экстракты прополиса, что делает продукт безопасным для потребления. Наличие токсичных тяжелых металлов обусловливает необходимость проверки качества продуктов пчеловодства перед их использованием в качестве пищевых добавок. Учитывая, что продукты пчеловодства весьма неоднородны и в зависимости от факторов окружающей среды различаются по содержанию элементов, следует разработать стандарты, регулирующие допустимые уровни неорганических загрязняющих веществ.</p></trans-abstract><kwd-group xml:lang="en"><kwd>beekeeping products</kwd><kwd>safety indicators</kwd><kwd>toxic elements</kwd></kwd-group><kwd-group xml:lang="ru"><kwd>продукты пчеловодства</kwd><kwd>показатели безопасности</kwd><kwd>токсичные элементы</kwd></kwd-group><funding-group><award-group><funding-source><institution-wrap><institution xml:lang="ru">Работа выполнена при финансовой поддержке проекта Российской Федерации в лице Министерства науки и высшего образования РФ по Соглашению о представлении из федерального бюджета грантов субсидии от 17 апреля 2025 года № 075-15-2025-172 в ГИИС «Электронный бюджет» (внутренний номер в системе экспертиз sstp № 09.СПЦ25.23)</institution></institution-wrap><institution-wrap><institution xml:lang="en">The work was carried out with financial support from the project of the Russian Federation represented by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation under the Agreement on the provision of grants from the federal budget dated 17 April 2025 No. 075-15-2025-172 in the State Integrated Information System “Electronic Budget” (internal expert system number sstp No. 09.SPC25.23)</institution></institution-wrap></funding-source></award-group></funding-group></article-meta><fn-group/></front><body></body><back><ref-list><ref id="B1"><label>1.</label><mixed-citation>Matuszewska E, Klupczynska A, Maciołek K, Kokot ZJ, Matysiak J. 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