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Assessment of total and organic vanadium levels and their bioaccumulation in edible sea cucumbers: tissues distribution, inter-species-specific, locational differences and seasonal variations

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Abstract

The objective of this study is to investigate the levels, inter-species-specific, locational differences and seasonal variations of vanadium in sea cucumbers and to validate further several potential factors controlling the distribution of metals in sea cucumbers. Vanadium levels were evaluated in samples of edible sea cucumbers and were demonstrated exhibit differences in different seasons, species and sampling sites. High vanadium concentrations were measured in the sea cucumbers, and all of the vanadium detected was in an organic form. Mean vanadium concentrations were considerably higher in the blood (sea cucumber) than in the other studied tissues. The highest concentration of vanadium (2.56 μg g−1), as well as a higher degree of organic vanadium (85.5 %), was observed in the Holothuria scabra samples compared with all other samples. Vanadium levels in Apostichopus japonicus from Bohai Bay and Yellow Sea have marked seasonal variations. Average values of 1.09 μg g−1 of total vanadium and 0.79 μg g−1 of organic vanadium were obtained in various species of sea cucumbers. Significant positive correlations between vanadium in the seawater and V org in the sea cucumber (r = 81.67 %, p = 0.00), as well as between vanadium in the sediment and V org in the sea cucumber (r = 77.98 %, p = 0.00), were observed. Vanadium concentrations depend on the seasons (salinity, temperature), species, sampling sites and seawater environment (seawater, sediment). Given the adverse toxicological effects of inorganic vanadium and positive roles in controlling the development of diabetes in humans, a regular monitoring programme of vanadium content in edible sea cucumbers can be recommended.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 31201329), the National Marine Public Welfare Scientific Research Project of China (No. 201105029) and the Programme for Changjiang Scholars and Innovative Research Team in University (IRT1188). We greatly appreciate suggestions from anonymous referees for the improvement of this article.

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  1. College of Food Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong Province, China

    Yanjun Liu, Qingxin Zhou, Jie Xu, Yong Xue, Xiaofang Liu, Jingfeng Wang & Changhu Xue

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  1. Yanjun Liu
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  2. Qingxin Zhou
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  3. Jie Xu
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  4. Yong Xue
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Correspondence to Jie Xu or Changhu Xue.

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Liu, Y., Zhou, Q., Xu, J. et al. Assessment of total and organic vanadium levels and their bioaccumulation in edible sea cucumbers: tissues distribution, inter-species-specific, locational differences and seasonal variations. Environ Geochem Health 38, 111–122 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-015-9689-9

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