Metal Accumulation in Crayfish,Procambarus clarkii,Exposed to a Petroleum-Contaminated Bayou in Louisiana

Abstract

Red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) were placed for a period of 7 days in Bayou Trepagnier, a Louisiana waterway which received petroleum-laden effluents from a manufacturing complex several decades ago. However, coolant water from the plant continued to be released into the bayou until 1995. Analyses of sediments at the exposure site revealed heavy contamination by lead, chromium, and copper, while concentrations of arsenic and cadmium were very low. Significant bioaccumulation of lead was observed in the hepatopancreas and gills of 7-day-exposed crayfish, whereas chromium accumulated the most in the gills and blood. Concentrations of copper in the crayfish did not change during the course of the study, suggesting that this essential metal constituent of the respiratory pigment is successfully regulated even when crayfish are exposed to relatively high levels of copper in the sediments. There was no metal accumulation in the abdominal muscle of the crayfish. That damage to the hepatopancreas occurred during the exposure is suggested by histopathological studies which revealed swollen and vacuolated R cells and an increase in the pH of the digestive juices. Blood glucose levels, as well as ovarian and hepatopancreatic indices, were unchanged. This study demonstrates that accumulation of nonessential metals in crayfish tissues in a wetland environment contaminated by mixed pollution (metals and hydrocarbons) reflects the concentrations of metals in the sediment.

Trace element concentrations in red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) and surface sediments in Lake Preola and Gorghi Tondi natural reserve, SW Sicily

“…It is noteworthy that the hepatopancreas plays a central role in crustacean metabolism, accumulating and detoxifying a number of heavy metals (Rainbow and Scott 1979;Dall and Moriarty 1983). Anderson et al (1997) observed the formation of intracellular vacuoles in cells of hepatopancreas in response to heavy metal contamination. As confirmed by Coombs and George (1978), this is a mechanism utilized by hepatopancreas cells to sequester and detoxify metals.…”

Detection of Heavy Metals in Farmed Cherax Destructor

“…A metal that is mainly taken up from food is expected to become concentrated in the body tissues (FISHER and REINFELDER, 1995), or if the metals are taken up from solution they are absorbed onto exoskeleton (MIRAMAND and BENTLEY, 1992), although metals absorbed by water or trophic can be accumulated in the same organ. Indeed, water exposure leads to an accumulation in gills and in hepatopancreas (ANDERSON et al, 1997).…”

Determination of arsenic species in a freshwater crustacean Procambarus clarkii

“…Data are available for lead, 15±17 cadmium, 15,17 aluminum, 15 iron, 16 copper 17 and mercury. 14,17 However, there is little information on the concentration of arsenic in this organism, 11 and there are no studies on the chemical speciation. Consequently, in addition to the ecological and socioeconomic aspects, special attention must be paid to the question of public health, since this is the raw material for various food products that are consumed in Spain and abroad.…”