Heavy metals in the muscle and hepatopancreas of red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) in campania (italy)

The aim of this study was to carry out a quali-quantitative analysis of the presence of non-essential and essential trace elements in freshwater crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) edible tissues to establish the healthiness of this product and to evaluate the pollution status of the sampling sites included in the present study. P. clarkii is one of the most common species of freshwater crustaceans in Italy, regularly consumed by local people. Moreover, the crayfish, due to its trophic position and diet, can be considered as an excellent bioindicator of the health status of the ecosystem. We collected sixty crayfish samples from two different sites in Campania (Italy): Villa Literno and Sessa Aurunca. Concentrations of trace elements were determined by Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES). Our data showed low concentrations of Cd, Hg and Pb, with values below the European Commission MRL (Commission Regulation (EC) 1881/2006). We suggest that data obtained from this study showed that crayfish collected from Villa Literno and Sessa Aurunca were safe for human consumption. Furthermore, the results of this research indicated mild contamination of heavy metals of the sampling sites, indicating a good health status of the area’s aquatic ecosystem

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), arsenic, chromium and lead in warty crab (Eriphia verrucosa): occurrence and risk assessment

This study assesses the PAH and heavy metal levels in muscle of warty crabs (Eriphia verrucosa), from the northern coast of the Campania region improving the data on toxic contaminants in this crustacean. The results showed a minimal PAH contamination; the mean concentrations were as follows: 0.2, 1.6 and 1.7 μg kg-1 wet weight (ww) for BaP, PAH4 and PAH6, respectively. Regarding the levels of the two PAHs not included in the European regulations, the BkF mean concentration was 0.1 μg kg-1 ww, while DahA was detected only in 10.7% of samples. Pb and Cr were also detected at low levels with mean values of 0.068 and 0.468 mg kg-1 ww, respectively; instead, high As levels, with a mean value of 5.021 mg kg-1 ww, were found. Considering the EWIs and the ILCRs calculated in this study, the PAH, Pb and Cr contamination levels found in the edible part of the crabs resulted safe for human consumption. Contrariwise, the ILCR calculated for the As exceeded the acceptable level of cancer risk, although the calculation did not refer to the inorganic form which is the only one recognized as carcinogenic. Hence, this study shows that warty crabs can accumulate environmental contaminants in their muscle tissue representing an important route of exposure to these toxics for the local population that regularly consumes them. This finding highlights the importance of monitoring the presence of these pollutants in crabs and in general in all fish and seafood in order to ensure food safety for consumers

Potential use of a queen bee larvae meal (Apis mellifera ligustica Spin.) in animal nutrition: a nutritional and chemical-toxicological evaluation

The aim of the research was to propose the larvae of honeybee queens, discarded from royal jelly production as possible dietary supplement in animal nutrition. To this purpose, the chemical characteristics, chitin content, amino acid, fatty acid and mineral profile (including toxic elements) were determined on pooled samples of queen bee larvae. Queen bee larvae meal is rich in chitin, protein, essential amino acids, and in some essential mineral such as phosphorous and magnesium; it is also relatively poor in fat, and with negligible levels of toxic elements such as Cd, Pb, As and Hg. However, its fatty acid profile showed a very low amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids, and the meal was poor of Ca and other trace elements when compared to the most common insect meals used in animal nutrition. Queen bee larvae have a standard nutrition based on royal jelly and this could represent a great advantage to use in animal production. However, the collection of queen bee larvae does not allow to give high quantities of final product due both the low amount of larvae collected (an average 58.9 g/hive/month) and the relatively low yield in meal (an average 23.12%) recorded. Thus, the queen bee larvae meal cannot be considered as an alternative protein source in animal production but could represent a potential feed supplement to include at low doses to exploit the possible activities of gut microbiota modulator due to the high levels of chitin