Elements in Foods

[Garf]

Thought this might be useful;
http://web.archive.org/web/20010720071031/http://www.animalnetwork.com/fish/data/foods.asp



Table V — Elements or Ions Present



Percent of the Sample




ICP Metals
Formula One
Formula Two
Prime Reef
Lancefish
Silversides
Seawater


Aluminum
15.00
15.00
11.00
9.80
14.00
1.9


Antimony
<0.50
<0.46
<0.52
<0.50
<0.38
0.00001


Arsenic
<0.50
<0.46
<0.52
2.10
<0.38
0.024


Barium
0.55
0.73
0.72
<0.025
0.06
0.05


Beryllium
0.03
<0.023
0.03
<0.02
<0.02
0.0001


Boron
<2.50
<2.3
<2.60
<2.50
<1.90
4.6


Cadmium
0.08
0.10
0.07
<0.02
0.02
0.00001


Calcium
800.00
1700.00
860.00
4700.00
4300.00
400


Chromium
0.28
0.07
0.12
1.10
1.30
0.00001


Cobalt
0.10
0.10
0.12
0.11
0.14
0.0001


Copper
2.30
1.80
2.00
24.00
36.00
0.09


Iodide
380.00
410.00
320.00
1500.00
1300.00
0.05


Iron
20.00
27.00
30.00
23.00
32.00
0.02


Lead
<0.50
<0.46
<0.52
<0.50
<0.04
0.005


Lithium
<0.25
<0.23
<0.26
<0.25
<0.02
0.1


Magnesium
280.00
290.00
290.00
520.00
560.00
1272


Manganese
4.40
13.00
14.00
3.40
15.00
0.01


Mercury
<0.50
<0.46
<0.52
<0.52
<0.38
0.0003


Molybdenum
<0.25
<0.23
<0.26
<0.25
<0.19
0.002


Nickel
<0.25
<0.23
<0.26
<0.25
<0.19
0.0005


Phosphorus
1100.00
1200.00
900.00
4400.00
4000.00
0.012


Potassium
1000.00
990.00
230.00
2500.00
2200.00
380


Selenium
1.60
1.40
1.20
1.30
1.50
0.004


Silicon
59.00
75.00
56.00
22.00
29.00
4


Silver
<0.50
<0.46
<0.52
<0.50
<0.38
0.0003


Sodium
1200.00
870.00
340.00
3300.00
3700.00
10561


Strontium
12.00
14.00
11.00
7.00
16.00
13


Sulfur
1300.00
1400.00
1200.00
2000.00
2000.00
884


Thallium
<0.50
<0.46
<0.52
<0.50
<0.38
0.0005


Tin
0.72
0.70
0.70
2.40
2.50
0.003


Titanium
0.33
0.40
0.28
<0.05
0.21
0.00001


Vanadium
<0.25
<0.23
<0.26
<0.25
<0.19
0.0003


Yttrium
<0.02
<0.02
<0.03
<0.02
<0.02
0.0003


Zinc
37.00
99.00
120.00
30.00
24.00
0.014



Brine Shrimp
Plankton
Marine Snow
Coral Vital
Golden Pearls
Seawater


Aluminum
120.00
8.10
0.48
3.00
49.00
1.9


Antimony
<0.44
<0.42
<0.06
<0.12
<0.46
0.00001


Arsenic
<0.44
<0.42
<0.06
<0.12
3.70
0.024


Barium
0.72
0.63
<0.00
0.01
1.70
0.05


Beryllium
<0.02
<0.02
<0.00
<0.01
<0.02
0.0001


Boron
<2.20
<2.10
<0.30
42.00
<2.30
4.6


Cadmium
<0.02
<0.02
<0.00
0.50
0.90
0.00001


Calcium
140.00
1700.00
12.00
24.00
8700.00
400


Chromium
0.52
0.18
<0.01
0.42
1.00
0.00001


Cobalt
0.11
0.07
0.02
0.14
4.40
0.0001


Copper
1.30
10.00
<0.01
<0.01
22.00
0.09


Iodide
370.00
500.00
12.00
170.00
4300.00
0.05


Iron
140.00
5.6
0.30
550.00
1100.00
0.02


Lead
<0.44
<0.42
<0.06
<0.12
1.80
0.005


Lithium
0.24
<0.21
<0.03
<0.06
0.31
0.1


Magnesium
300.00
520.00
10.00
380.00
920.00
1272


Manganese
10.00
0.62
0.02
77.00
49.00
0.01


Mercury
<0.44
<0.42
<0.06
<0.01
<0.46
0.0003


Molybdenum
<0.22
<0.21
<0.03
13.00
1.20
0.002


Nickel
0.32
<0.21
<0.03
<0.61
<0.23
0.0005


Phosphorus
720.00
1600.00
16.00
580.00
15000.00
0.012


Potassium
1000.00
230.00
660.00
1800.00
5400.00
380


Selenium
0.57
0.50
<0.06
0.29
7.00
0.004


Silicon
270.00
29.00
4.00
102.00
270.00
4


Silver
<0.44
<0.42
<0.06
<0.12
<0.46
0.0003


Sodium
3200.00
940.00
180.00
68.00
7100.00
10561


Strontium
2.30
28.00
0.21
0.08
38.00
13


Sulfur
1000.00
840.00
280.00
860.00
6000.00
884


Thallium
<0.44
<0.42
<0.06
<0.12
<0.46
0.0005


Tin
0.34
0.38
<0.03
0.12
1.10
0.003


Titanium
2.30
<0.04
<0.01
5.70
0.98
0.00001


Vanadium
<0.22
<0.21
<0.03
<0.61
<0.23
0.0003


Yttrium
<0.02
<0.02
<0.00
<0.01
<0.02
0.0003


Zinc
6.90
5.80
0.05
260.00
280.00
0.014



Gold Flakes
Tahitian Blend
Saltwater Staple
Combisan
Nori
Seawater


Aluminum
80.00
14.00
95.00
0.12
83.00
1.9


Antimony
<0.49
<0.17
<0.49
<0.06
<6.50
0.00001


Arsenic
2.30
<0.17
2.70
<0.06
25.00
0.024


Barium
5.20
0.83
6.90
0.00
5.90
0.05


Beryllium
<0.68
<0.10
<0.02
<0.00
<0.03
0.0001


Boron
<2.50
<0.86
<2.40
1.60
<33.00
4.6


Cadmium
<0.84
<0.02
1.30
<0.00
1.20
0.00001


Calcium
7200.00
440.00
17000.00
1.50
2400.00
400


Chromium
5.60
0.80
<0.05
0.06
1.30
0.00001


Cobalt
0.80
0.40
0.80
0.02
0.93
0.0001


Copper
10.00
6.50
9.50
0.11
3.00
0.09


Iodide
2900.00
530.00
5000.00
14.00
2000.00
0.05


Iron
1700.00
90.00
290.00
23.00
110.00
0.02


Lead
1.00
<0.34
1.70
<0.06
<6.50
0.005


Lithium
0.56
<0.09
0.48
<0.03
<3.30
0.1


Magnesium
1300.00
290.00
1800.00
<0.29
2900.00
1272


Manganese
23.00
18.00
90.00
18.00
110.00
0.01


Mercury
<0.49
<0.17
<0.49
<0.06
<6.50
0.0003


Molybdenum
1.80
0.19
0.61
0.24
<3.30
0.002


Nickel
1.80
0.30
0.25
0.15
<3.30
0.0005


Phosphorus
8300.00
1400.00
15000.00
1.80
6400.00
0.012


Potassium
4000.00
840.00
4200.00
7.90
32000.00
380


Selenium
7.00
3.90
5.80
<0.06
10.00
0.004


Silicon
540.00
120.00
440.00
2.00
280.00
4


Silver
<0.49
<0.17
<0.49
<0.06
<6.50
0.0003


Sodium
3400.00
1300.00
7400.00
26.00
13000.00
10561


Strontium
39.00
28.00
150.00
0.01
25.00
13


Sulfur
5000.00
780.00
4800.00
27.00
17000.00
884


Thallium
1.90
<0.17
<0.49
<0.06
<6.50
0.0005


Tin
2.50
1.40
1.40
0.60
4.80
0.003


Titanium
2.10
1.10
4.20
<0.01
<0.65
0.00001


Vanadium
<0.25
<0.09
<0.24
<0.03
<3.30
0.0003


Yttrium
0.68
<0.01
0.04
<0.00
1.20
0.0003


Zinc
63.00
12.00
190.00
5.80
38.00
0.014

[Garf]

These two statements have caught my eye;


Many of the these materials are found in the foods concentrated many thousands of times over their concentration in seawater. The values for phosphorus are the best example of this. Such high concentrations in foods are often normal and necessary. For example, phosphorus is found in all organisms as a component of proteins and the energy transfer systems. However, the high concentrations of phosphorus in proteinaceous foods means that over very short periods of time, an aquarist who is feeding regularly and heavily may add very significant amounts of this element to their systems. The same is true of many trace elements. Additionally, Atkinson and Bingman (1999) indicated that most synthetic seawater mixes have abnormally high concentrations of many trace materials. Regular feeding or supplement addition may significantly boost such trace materials even higher. Consequently, the use of additives containing significant amounts of trace elements is unnecessary and potentially dangerous.


The following trace or minor materials were found concentrated in some products from 100 to 100,000 times their concentration in natural sea water: cobalt, copper, iodine, iron, lead, manganese, mercury, molybdenum, nickel, selenium, silver, tin, titanium, vanadium and zinc.

While necessary in very low concentrations, concentrations of some of these materials exceeding natural levels will be toxic to some organisms. The data in this study and Atkinson and Bingman (1999) indicate that water changes may well be necessary in reef aquaria to reduce abnormally high concentrations of some trace materials. I will leave to the reader the examination of these materials on a case-by-case basis.

[Garf]

How to reduce toxic effects;


http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-12/rs/feature/index.php



Conclusion:


Prior to doing this study, I was quite convinced that none of the export methodologies that were available to aquarists were very good. I was surprised to find that that is definitely not the case with regard to many of the elements needing export. Foam fractionation, coupled with organism export, decidedly provides ways to remove many elements and to keep them from accumulating, given a normal feeding regime. The problem comes with the initial levels of heavy metals concentration found in artificial salt mixes. Unless these excessive amounts of metals can be exported, they will accumulate and, with the passage of time and associated water changes, will become more potentially troublesome. Heavy metal accumulation is organism mediated with both active and passive processes facilitating it. The accumulation products will likely be located in the sediments and inside the porous aquarium rock. If there is also the accumulation of significant organic material in the sediments over time, this may result in periodic transient or chronic low level releases of toxic heavy metals. Heavy metal poisoning in such situations would typically be a cumulative process, resulting in mortality after several months or years. Because of this, sediment cleansing or replacement every few years coupled with the replacement of porous rock substrates may be necessary to prevent heavy metal poisoning of the aquarium’s inhabitants. Alternatives to this drastic and traumatic treatment might include the use of toxic metal sponges, polyfilters and carbon. All of these treatments may all be more efficient and less potentially hazardous than sand bed trauma, however the efficiency of such processes is really unknown. In other words, more work remains to be done before a satisfactory export methodology is available to reef aquarists.

[Garf]

Elemental toxicity of Artificial Salt Water mixes;

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-03/rs/feature/index.php


Conclusions:This study has demonstrated that the artificial sea water made using some common and popular commercial artificial salt water mixes is toxic to sea urchin larvae using a variant of a standard bioassay. Such water will also likely have effects on other animals. This study also showed that some artificial sea water mixes produced water that could support larval development as well as could natural seawater. The use of such "good" artificial sea water will promote the health of coral reef organisms. Coupled with a vigorous program of nutrient and trace metal export (See Shimek, 2002e), use of these salts should go a long way to prevent the build up of potentially toxic trace metals in coral reef tanks.
Both of the salts that had good larval survivability are readily available at reasonable prices. The Crystal Sea Marinemix-Bioassay Formulation is not commonly available to hobbyists, being designed and marketed for bioassay laboratories. However, it is available online from various vendors. The Crystal Sea Marinemix - Bioassay Formulation is essentially the same as standard Crystal Sea Marinemix which it differs from only in lacking the dechlorinator found in the latter salt (R. Spellman, pers. comm.). Standard Crystal Sea Marinemix and Bio-Sea Marinemix salts are widely available.

[kotlec]

Very interesting. Sadly Crystal Sea is not locally available to me. I would try that otherwise.

[Devs]

There is also this...

http://www.aquavitro.com/products/salinity.html