Proximate Composition and Heavy Metal Accumulation in Deep-Sea Crustaceans from Selected Stations in the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)

Proximate composition and heavy metal accumulation in the muscle of deep sea crustaceans viz., Acanthephyra armata, Heterocarpus gibbosus, Plesionika spinipes and Puerulus sewelli were analyzed. Crustacean samples were collected from Lat. 11.026 degrees - 11.405 degrees N; Long. 74.508 degrees - 75.212 degrees E and Lat. 17.103 degrees - 19.983 degrees N; Long. 83.042 degrees-87.428 degrees E at the depth of 200 -1200 m off west coast and east coast of India. Moisture content was higher in H. gibbosus (81.84 +/- 0.11%) off west coast and P. spinipes (81.05 +/- 0.36%) off east coast, highest protein content (20.34 +/- 0.48%) was observed in P. sewelli from west coast followed by H. gibbosus (17.42 +/- 1.10%) off east coast. Fat content of the samples varied from 2.3-3.8%; with the highest in A. armata collected from west coast, whereas ash was higher in A. armata (2.21 +/- 0.14%) off east coast. Analysis of heavy metal content indicated higher levels of zinc in samples off west coast while iron and cobalt content was significantly higher in east coast samples. Lead was below detectable level in the samples analysed and cadmium was detected only in H. gibbosus off west coast. The deep sea crustaceans analysed in the present study contained significant quantity of protein and hence can find market in the food industry. Heavy metals analysed were within the prescribed limit, indicating that the selected stations of Indian EEZ are free of heavy metal pollution.