On the Macro Constituent Elements in Marine Invertebrates

Abstract

The contents of macro constituent elements in marine invertebrates such as Octopus, Sepia, Ostrea, Horothuria and Aurelia which live in the eastern area of Seto Inland Sea have been investigated. The amounts of sodium, magnesium, chlorine and sulfur contained in those invertebrates are smaller than those in the sea water, except potassium content in animals other than Ostrea and Aurelia, which is larger than that in the sea water. The atomic ratios K/Na, Ca/Mg and S/P in these animals are generally smaller than 1, except that the value S/P in Holothuria is 2, and in Aurelia 3. The atomic ratio S/Cl is about 0.1-0.3, and Si/Cl about 0.1 or less.