The effect of diet enriched with lipoic acid in the accumulation and metabolization of metals in different organs of Litopenaeus vannamei

The bioaccumulation of metals is a problem for shrimp farming due to toxicity. As the water used in the culture tanks comes from environment, the shrimps can be exposed directly accumulating these metals, suffering the toxic effect and being a source of exposure for humans. So, alternatives that can minimize/avoid both accumulation and promote metabolism of metals are welcome. In this study, the Litopenaeus vannamei received the antioxidant lipoic acid (LA) through diet for 4 weeks and posteriorly were exposed to cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As) alone or in combination (nominal concentration of 1 mg/L) during 48 hr. A control group also was run in parallel (without LA and then submitted to both metals exposure). The accumulation of Cd and As and the capacity of As metabolization were analysed in gills, hepatopancreas and muscle of shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei. Our results showed that the LA administered through diet decrease the accumulation of both metals in gills and muscle and improved the metabolization of As, favouring the accumulation of non‐toxic compounds as arsenobetaine (AsB) in all organs analysed. Therefore, a diet enriched with LA is a good form of chemoprevention in aquaculture that improved the resistance of shrimps against metal contamination.