Bioaccumulation of cadmium in common green bottle fly Lucilia sericata and its impact on insect development - prospect for use in feed and food production.

This study aimed to investigate the bioaccumulation of cadmium from natural feed substrate and substrate enriched with CdCl2 and CdO by the common green bottle fly, Lucilia sericata (Diptera: Calliphoridae). Cadmium was determined in all developmental stages (larvae, adults, and puparial cases) of L. sericata, and its accumulation was positively correlated with concentrations in insect diets. Higher bioaccumulation factors of Cd were found in larvae and adults fed with naturally contaminated liver tissues (1.3-3.9) than those fed with liver enriched with cadmium in the form of inorganic compounds (0.4-0.9). The effect of cadmium dose on insect development was also studied. Cadmium exposure caused disorders in the metabolism of Zn, Cu, and Mn, and the effect depended on its form present in the diet. Insects must be tested for the presence of heavy metals to demonstrate their safety and quality as novel feed and food products.