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Evaluation of mineral composition and in-vitro nutrient digestibility of macrophytes to assess their potential as sustainable animal feed

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Overview

This 17-page study measures mineral composition and in-vitro nutrient digestibility of aquatic macrophytes from four Kashmir lakes (Dal, Anchar, Mansbal, Wular) to assess their potential as sustainable animal feed. Lemna minor is among the macrophytes studied. Heavy metals (lead, chromium, arsenic, mercury) are reported for each lake. Dal and Anchar lakes show high arsenic and mercury, consistent with anthropogenic contamination of these urban/periurban water bodies. No certified reference material or recovery data are reported. The study context is wild harvest from polluted lake environments for animal feed, not controlled food-grade cultivation.

Key numbers

Heavy metals in wild-harvested Lemna minor, ppm (mg/kg) DW (Tables 2 and 5, mean ± SD):

Dal Lake:

  • Lead: 0.88 ± 0.24 ppm DW
  • Chromium: 2.44 ± 0.20 ppm DW
  • Arsenic: 23.95 ± 50.30 ppm DW (high SD; possibly pooled across sampling points)
  • Mercury: 0.79 ± 0.09 ppm DW

Anchar Lake:

  • Lead: 3.20 ± 0.27 ppm DW
  • Chromium: 3.17 ± 3.12 ppm DW
  • Arsenic: 51.47 ± 4.09 ppm DW
  • Mercury: 1.34 ± 0.21 ppm DW

Dal and Anchar are highly urbanized, heavily contaminated lakes. Mansbal and Wular were also measured; values differed by lake. No MDL, LOQ, CRM, or recovery data reported.

Methods (brief)

Wild harvest from four Kashmir lakes. Mineral analysis by unspecified ICP or atomic absorption method (not stated in available pages). Statistical comparisons by one-way ANOVA with Duncan’s post-hoc test. No certified reference material or recovery data. Arsenic SD for Dal Lake (50.30 ppm against mean 23.95 ppm) suggests high spatial variability or analytical issues.

Evidence Fitness

Animal feed context; not food-grade production data. These values reflect wild harvest from heavily contaminated urban lake environments in India and are not transferable to food-concentration typical ranges for water lentils produced under controlled cultivation conditions. Use only as contextual accumulation data illustrating the cultivation-condition dependence of contamination; label as such in all uses. Do not include in contamination_profile typical_ppb for the food ingredient. No CRM data reported; a large arsenic SD (Dal Lake) warrants caution.

Update history

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