Bioacumulación de Cr-Cu-Pb en Zilchiopsis oronensis, Pretzmann 1978 (Decapoda, Trichodactylidae) en condiciones experimentales

Abstract

Heavy metals are among the toxic compounds with the greatest impact on aquatic systems. Previous studies showed that crabs could be biomonitors of heavy metal contamination. In order to explore the relevance of Zilchiopsis oronensis as a biomonitor of the mixture Cr–Cu–Pb we investigated the bioaccumulation potential of these crabs when exposed under experimental conditions to different concentrations of the three metals. To this aim, crabs were individually exposed to one of the four treatments for 15 days. The accumulation of Cr and Pb depended on exposure concentration; gills accumulated higher levels of metal than other body structures; females bioaccumulated more Cu than males and the accumulation of Pb was negatively associated with body weight. The level of heavy metal bioaccumulation observed in Z. oronensis represents a potential method of monitoring heavy metal contamination in the wetlands they inhabit.