Effects of Fluoride of Antarctic Krill (<i>Euphausia superba</i>) Meal on Accumulation and Weight of Mice

Abstract

Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) possesses rich nutritional value, large fishing capacity and potentials for processing and utilization. However, the development and utilization of Antarctic krill is impeded by its high fluorine contents. In this study, Antarctic krill meal and sodium fluoride solution (300 mg/L) were selected as the study objects to feeding mice, and the effects of fluoride on accumulation and weight gained in small intestine, blood, liver, and kidney femur of mice were investigated. The results showed that the contents of small intestine, blood, liver and kidney in the group of the mice fed with Antarctic krill and sodium fluoride remained less than 1 mg/kg, which was slightly higher than that of the blank control group (p＜0.05). The fluoride contents in the femur of mice fed with Antarctic krill meal and sodium fluoride solution were ten times higher than that of the blank control group, indicating that the fluorine in Antarctic krill meal was likely different from the chemical fluorine in sodium fluoride. No signification difference on accumulation of fluoride was found in the small intestine, blood, liver and kidney of mice, but fluorine from Antarctic krill meal and sodium fluoride was obviously deposited in the femur of mice. On the other hands, the weight gained rate of mice in the sodium fluoride group was 3.22%, and that of mice in Antarctic krill meal group was 7.81%, both of that were significantly lower than that in the blank group (12.87%). The results showed that the fluorine in Antarctic krill meal inhibited the growth of mice, but its specific absorption, metabolism and transformation process in the body still needed to be further studied.