CRUSTACEANS AS BIOMARKERS OF POLLUTION IN THE BLACK SEA WITH HEAVY METALS EXPOSURE TO HEAVY METALS

Abstract

Benthic fauna (zoo benthos) of subpralitoral Black Sea is extremely abundant and diverse. Especially were numerous mollusks and crustaceans. Last play an important role in cleaning up coastal zone, and therefore were chosen as test object. The study conducted on crustaceans and as a comparison to sea water, seaweed and mollusks of the Black Sea revealed an uneven accumulation of heavy metals in aquatic water due to their location in the food chain. The data obtained show that the species of Decapoda (Callinoctes sapidea) and Isopoda (Sphaeroma Serratum) are able to accumulate heavy metals intensively other taxonomic groups of marine aquatic organisms that may be the result of their adaptation to living in polluted conditions of the environment. The sensitivity of crustaceans such as Sphaeroma serratum to heavy metals makes it possible to use the latter as bioindicators of pollution in border areas of land and sea coast of the Crimea.