Lead has been found in honey produced in the central-west New South Wales town of Broken Hill, with traces also found in the bees and their wax.
Macquarie University Professor Mark Taylor revealed the bees have been contaminated by ongoing mining emissions from the surrounding area and petrol sources.
The research also found the bees were protecting the quality of their honey by absorbing and filtering the contaminants in their systems, limiting the presence of lead in the honey.