Elemental profiling of zebrafish (Danio rerio) across developmental stages using ion beam analytical techniques

Despite the widespread use of zebrafish as a biological model, comprehensive baseline elemental data across its developmental stages remain limited. In this work, ion beam analytical techniques were employed to establish the elemental composition of zebrafish larvae and adults under controlled vivarium conditions. The combined use of these techniques enables quantitative elemental analysis and spatially resolved elemental mapping of small biological samples within the same analytical framework, providing an integrated elemental baseline across zebrafish development. We show that most elements detected in zebrafish larvae were retained throughout development into adulthood, whereas Al, Si, Mn, Cu, and Sr were detected only in adults, suggesting progressive accumulation during the life cycle. No significant differences were observed in elemental composition or concentration between sexes. Elemental maps of larvae show a homogeneous spatial distribution for most elements, except for elevated S in the eye’s lenses and increased Ca in the otoliths and the head region, highlighting the early compartmentalisation of certain elements during organ development. The resulting dataset provides a developmental elemental baseline for future environmental, pharmacological, and toxicological studies using zebrafish.