Distribution tissulaire du cadmium chez Meganyctiphanes norvegica (Euphausiacée): état naturel et accumulationexpérimentale de formes solubles

• Published in: Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• Main Authors: Poirier, Louis, Cossa, Daniel
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1981
• Subjects: Aquatic Science; Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics; Meganyctiphanes norvegica
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f81-192; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/f81-192

In the tissues of Meganyctiphanes norvegica collected from their natural environment, 57% of body cadmium was in soluble compounds, principally bound with proteins (mol wt ≥ 25 000). A cadmium-binding protein, with a molecular weight of ~ 21 000, was induced during laboratory contamination experiments. However, a large portion of cadmium is adsorbed onto exoskeleton. The association of the metal with chitin and its removal by molting may constitute a defence process particular to crustaceans.