Biochemical Profiling of Pond-Cultivated Brine Shrimp (Artemia franciscana) Along the Southeast Coast of Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh.

Abstract

Artemia is an essential live feed organism in aquaculture hatcheries, especially during the early larval stages of fish and crustaceans. In Bangladesh, the lack of natural hypersaline environments has led to a complete reliance on imported Artemia cysts, which raises concerns about supply stability, high costs, and long-term sustainability. In response to this challenge, the present study offers a comprehensive evaluation of pond-cultivated Artemia produced along the southeast coast of the Bay of Bengal within integrated salt-farming systems. The research focuses on assessing its nutritional composition, microbial safety, and potential chemical residues to determine its suitability as a sustainable alternative to imported sources. Artemia biomass samples were collected from ten coastal locations in Cox’s Bazar, namely Chowfaldandi, Khamarpara, PM Khali, Choto Moheshkhali, Boro Moheshkhali, Teknaf, Chakaria, Pekua, BSCIC-1, and BSCIC-2, during two distinct cultivation periods: the early production period (January-March) and the late production period (April-June). Biomass yields were comparatively higher during the early production period, particularly at Teknaf, PM Khali, and BSCIC sites which exhibited favorable salinity regimes and stable pond conditions. In contrast, relatively reduced growth and biomass accumulation were observed during the late production period, especially at Chakaria, Khamarpara, and Choto Moheshkhali, likely due to increased environmental stress and salinity fluctuations. Biochemical analysis revealed significant spatial and temporal variation in proximate composition. Artemia cultured during the early production period showed comparatively higher lipid and energy-rich components, while late production samples were characterized by increased ash and fiber content. Fatty acid profiling demonstrated a clear shift between cultivation periods, with higher proportions of short- and medium-chain fatty acids dominating the early period, whereas long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, including nutritionally important n-3 and n-6 PUFAs, were more pronounced during the late production period. Amino acid analysis indicated location-specific differences, although essential amino acids remained relatively stable across cultivation periods. Microbiological analyses showed moderate total bacterial loads across sampling sites, with no detection of critical pathogens such as Salmonella, Shigella, or Vibrio cholerae. Antibiotic residue analysis confirmed that all detected compounds were below international safety thresholds, indicating the suitability of pond cultivated Artemia for aquaculture use. Overall, the xvi findings highlight that cultivation period and location strongly influence Artemia nutritional quality, with the early production period offering superior biomass yield and energy content. This study demonstrates the potential of coastal salt ponds in Bangladesh for sustainable Artemia production and provides practical insights for optimizing cultivation timing and site selection.