title: Heavy metals in sea cucumber juveniles from coastal areas of Bohai and Yellow seas, north China.
abstract: The study was undertaken to assess the contents of heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Cr, Pb, Cd, As and Hg) in sea cucumber (Apostichopus japonicus) juveniles from coastal areas of Bohai and Yellow seas in northern China. Sea cucumber juveniles were collected from twenty commercial hatcheries distributed in five coastal cities. The mean concentrations obtained for heavy metals in mg/kg were as follows: Cu (0.179), Zn (2.634), Cr (0.108), Pb (0.065), Cd (0.161), As (0.372), Hg (0.034). All the mean concentrations were below the maximum residual limits set by Chinese legislation, but As in 10 % samples exceeded the safety threshold. Significant differences in contents of Cr, Pb and Hg were found among the five investigated areas. Overall, the heavy metal levels in sea cucumber juveniles were relatively low and more attention should be paid to toxic metals Pb, Cd, As and Hg in future routine monitoring program.
authors.affiliation: Heilongjiang River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Harbin, 150070, Heilongjiang, China.
authors.forename: Haifeng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Shizhan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Dongli
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.forename: Zhongxiang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jinlong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Shuyan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.forename: Zhenbo
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Mou
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002681:China; D002947:Cities; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D009792:Oceans and Seas; D012616:Sea Cucumbers / Q000378:metabolism*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D019216:Metals, Heavy; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical