Acid-base balance and blood gas changes in the fresh water field crab, Barytelphusa guerini, on exposure to organic and inorganic lead.

Abstract

The acid-base status of crustacean haemolymph depends on various environmental and physiological factors. Acid base status of the haemolymph is known to be influenced by temperature, salinity, strenuous activity and moulting. The studies on the acid-base regulation of the fresh water crabs are meager. The acid-base changes in fishes during environmental stress conditions like acid stress and zinc toxicity had been reported. But the effect of environmental pollutants like the heavy metals on the acid-base regulation of the fresh water crabs have not been previously reported. The haemolymph of the fresh water crab was found to accumulate high amounts of lead on exposure to organic and inorganic lead. Hence the present investigation has been undertaken to study the haemolymph acid-base status on exposure to subtoxic levels of organic and inorganic lead.