Skip to main content
Log in

Identifying the origin of Corbicula clams using trace element analysis

  • Original Article
  • Food Science and Technology
  • Published:
Fisheries Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The trace element contents of Corbicula clam shells collected from Japan, Russia, China, and the Republic of Korea were analyzed to determine their geographic origin. The crushed shells were decomposed with nitric acid–hydrogen peroxide, and the concentrations of 14 elements (Li, Mg, V, Mn, Co, As, Rb, Mo, Ba, Ce, Pb, U, Sr, and Ca) were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. Some of the elements identified in samples displayed a geographic trend. The average content of manganese in Japanese samples was twice that of Russian samples. Conversely, the arsenic content in Japanese samples was approximately half of that in Russian samples. Linear discriminant analysis was applied to the data from Japanese and Russian samples, and a discriminant model was constructed. The discriminant model was used to determine the geographic origin of Corbicula clams produced in Japan, with 89.8 % of those identified as Japanese and 92.2 % of those identified as Russian being classified correctly. Therefore, trace element analysis of the shells of Corbicula clams is a useful technique for the identification of their country of origin.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Nakamura M (2000) Biological characteristics of Corbicula japonica. In: Nakamura M et al (eds) Corbicula fisheries in Japan. Tatara shobo, Yonago, pp 1–17 (in Japanese)

    Google Scholar 

  2. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan (MAFF) (2011) Statistical yearbook of Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. MAFF, Tokyo

    Google Scholar 

  3. The Ministry of Finance of Japan (MOF) (2011) Trade statistics of Japan. MOF, Tokyo

    Google Scholar 

  4. Rooker JR, Secor DH, Zdanowicz VS, Metrio GD, Relini LO (2003) Identification of Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) stocks from putative nurseries using otolith chemistry. Fish Oceanogr 12:75–84

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Smith RG, Watts CA (2009) Determination of the country of origin of farm-raised shrimp (family Penaeide) using trace metal profiling and multivariate statistics. J Agric Food Chem 57:8244–8249

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Iguchi J, Takashima Y, Namikoshi A, Yamashita Y, Yamashita M (2013) Origin identification method by multiple trace elemental analysis of short-neck clams produced in Japan, China, and the Republic of Korea. Fish Sci 79:977–982

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Morohashi T, Aoyama K, Namikoshi A, Kimura Y, Hattori S (2011) Determination of the geographic origin of boiled and salted wakame Undaria pinnatifida products by element analysis. Nippon Suisan Gakkaishi 77:243–245 (in Japanese with English abstract)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Iguchi J, Yamashita Y, Touhata K, Yabu T, Yamashita M (2013) Origin identification method by multiple trace element analysis of intermuscular bones in grilled eel products produced in Japan, China, and Taiwan. Fish Sci 79:531–536

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Steel RGD (1960) A rank sum test for comparing all pairs of treatments. Technometrics 2:197–207

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Fisher RA (1936) The use of multiple measurements in taxonomic problems. Ann Eugen 7:179–188

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Komaru A (2006) Species identification of Corbicula clams by mitochondrial DNA analysis. In: Fukuda Y et al (eds) Technologies for species and origin identification of fisheries products. Kouseisya Kouseikaku, Tokyo, pp 78–86 (in Japanese)

    Google Scholar 

  12. Komaru A, Hori H, Yanase Y, Onouchi K, Kato T, Ishibashi R, Kawamura K, Kobayashi M, Nishida M (2010) Mitochondrial 16S rDNA analysis used to distinguish Corbicula japonica from Japan and imported species from Korea and China. Nippon Suisan Gakkaishi 76:621–629 (in Japanese with English abstract)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Iida M, Kanno M, Kijima A (2012) Genetic population structure of Corbicula japonica around East Asia estimated by mtDNA COI sequence analysis. Nippon Suisan Gakkaishi 78:934–944 (in Japanese with English abstract)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Angelo RT, Cringan MS, Chamberlain DL, Stahl AJ, Haslouer SG, Goodrich CA (2007) Residual effects of lead and zinc mining on freshwater mussels in the Spring River basin (Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma, USA). Sci Total Environ 384:467–496

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Riba I, Blasco J, Jiménez-Tenorio N, Delvalls TA (2005) Heavy metal bioavailability and effects: I. Bioaccumulation caused by mining activities in the Gulf of Cádiz (SW Spain). Chemosphere 58:659–669

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Ohtake T (2007) Marine food and mineral. In: Ohkoshi K et al (eds) Mineral study of sea. Seizando Syoten, Tokyo, pp 164–179 (in Japanese)

    Google Scholar 

  17. Okabe M, Saheki A, Akutagawa K, Seike S, Umino T (2011) Reconstruction of the migratory history of the catadromous fourspine sculpin Cottus kazika from the Monobe and Shimanto River, Kouchi Prefecture in southern Shikoku, using otolith Sr/Ca concentration ratios. Seibutsuken Kagaku 50:33–42 (in Japanese with English abstract)

    Google Scholar 

  18. Komaru A, Onouchi K, Yanase Y, Narita T, Otake T (2009) Shell strontium/calcium ratios of Corbicula japonica collected from brackish area with different salinity. Nippon Suisan Gakkaishi 75:443–450 (in Japanese with English abstract)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We thank Dr. Mikio Nakamura, Dr. Chika Oshiumi, and the staff of the Japan Corbicula Research Institute for their cooperation with sampling. This study was supported by a project grant (Development of Evaluation and Management Methods for Supply of Safe, Reliable and Functional Food and Farm Produce) from the National Food Research Institute and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jun Iguchi.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Iguchi, J., Isshiki, M., Takashima, Y. et al. Identifying the origin of Corbicula clams using trace element analysis . Fish Sci 80, 1089–1096 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12562-014-0775-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12562-014-0775-1

Keywords

Navigation