Abstract
Introduction Sea cucumbers are cultivated mainly for their valuable body wall. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers are common persistent pollutants in sea waters with known impacts on aquatic animals nonetheless not yet studied for the body wall of sea cucumbers. Methods Using ltra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Triple-TOF-MS), we investigated the metabolic impact of 2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-47) on the body wall of Apostichopus japonicus . etabolite changes and metabolic pathway alterations were assessed in response to three distinct concentrations of BDE-47: 0.1 µg/L, 1.0 µg/L, and 10.0 µg/L. REsults Exposure to BDE-47 led to notable alterations in the metabolic profiles of the body wall. A total of 95~102 metabolites in the 0.1 ~ 10.0 µg/L BDE-47 treated group were altered significantly, and various disrupted metabolic pathways were identified and characterized. These metabolites and metabolic pathways were mainly involved in lipid metabolism, energy metabolism, immunity, oxidative stress, inflammation, and neurotoxicity. Discussion The findings of our study shed light on the potential health risks that polybrominated diphenyl ethers present to sea cucumbers. This underscores the imperative for both researchers and policymakers to delve deeper into further investigations and studies. These results indicate the necessity for enhanced monitoring and management practices within the sea cucumber aquaculture industry to mitigate the impact of these persistent organic pollutants and protect the health and safety of this valuable resource.