Microelements and macroelements in the body of the invasive Harris mud crab (Rhithropanopeus harrisii, Maitland, 1874) from the central coast of the South Baltic Sea

Arkadiusz Nędzarek,Agnieszka Tórz,Przemysław Czerniejewski

doi:10.1007/s10661-019-7564-3

Arkadiusz Nędzarek, Agnieszka Tórz + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-019-7564-3

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Abstract

In this study, we determined the levels of essential and non-essential elements in the Harris mud crab (Rhithropanopeus harrisii, Maitland, 1874) from the southern Baltic Sea. Results revealed high levels of Ca (246,000 ppm), Mg (11,000 ppm), Na (8160 ppm), K (3,780 ppm), and Fe (1830 ppm). The concentrations of essential metals such as Zn (62.5 ppm) and Cu (25 ppm) were similar to those recorded in other crab species. The concentrations of non-essential metals such as Pb (0.140 ppm), Cd (0.0017 ppm), and As (0.288 ppm) were well below the International Standards for Maximum Levels for Food. In view of the above, the Harris mud crab from the southern Baltic is safe to be used as a component of well-balanced feeds for terrestrial and aquatic animals.

Highlights

The natural habitat of the Harris mud crab (Rhithropanopeus harrisii) is the brackish estuarine waters of the Atlantic coast, stretching from the northern regions of the Gulf of Mexico to Nova Scotia in Canada (Petersen 2006)
According to Szefer (2002), heavy metals exhibiting affinity for fine particles and organic matter do not accumulate in these shallow sediments, which results in lower concentrations of heavy metals found in bottom sediments in this area compared with deeper Baltic sub-basins (Uścinowicz et al 2011)
In the results presented by Normant et al (2004) and Roche and Torchin (2007), crabs caught on the central coast of the southern Baltic were quite large in size, which indicates that they were mature and ready for breeding

Summary

Introduction

The natural habitat of the Harris mud crab (Rhithropanopeus harrisii) is the brackish estuarine waters of the Atlantic coast, stretching from the northern regions of the Gulf of Mexico to Nova Scotia in Canada (Petersen 2006). Analyses by Turoboyski (1973), Normant et al (2004), and Czerniejewski (2009) showed that these small crustaceans, with a carapace width not exceeding 27 mm, are euryhaline animals that mainly feed on detritus and fine zoobenthos. They are preyed upon by fish which are able to regulate their populations in many waters (Turoboyski 1973; Fowler et al 2013)

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