Effects of enrichment with ascorbil palmitate and starvation in cold condition on ascorbic acid content in nauplii of Artemia urmiana

A trial was conducted to study the effects of different periods of enrichment with ascorbil palmitate and starvation in cold condition on ascorbic acid (AA) content in nauplii of Artemia urmiana. Four treatment groups with 4 replicates of freshly hatched nauplii were kept at 28°C in incubators containing enrichment medium for 0, 12, 18 and 24 hrs, respectively. Then all of them starved at 5°C for 0, 12,18 and 24 hrs. A A content was determined using a reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography coupled with an electrochemical detector. The results showed that nauplii of A. urmiana had high levels of AA in their bodies (1534 ± 166 [ig/g DW). AA content increased following enrichment and reached to their maximum after 18 hrs (3600 ± 282) and then reduced by 24 hrs of enrichment (2938 ±254). There was a significant difference in AA levels between non-enriched and enriched groups (PO.05). Although AA content enhanced in all groups during starvation periods at 5°C, the increases were not significant. However, significant correlations could be observed between duration of starvation and increasing of A A levels in non-enriched, 12 h and 18 h enriched groups. In conclusion, nauplii of A. urmiana had high levels of AA and enrichment with ascorbil plamitate increased their AA content significantly.