Heavy metals in crustaceans from the Iberian deep sea plain

• Published in: Russian Pulmonology
• Main Authors: Prowe, Friederike, Kirf, Mathias, Zauke, Gerd-Peter
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas 2006
• Subjects: biomonitoring; trace metals; zooplankton; Cd-anomaly; interspecific heterogeneity; biomonitoreo; metales pesados; zooplankton anomalías de Cd; heterogeneidad interespecífica; Arctic
• Online Access: https://scientiamarina.revistas.csic.es/index.php/scientiamarina/article/view/154; https://doi.org/10.3989/scimar.2006.70n2271

Trace metals (Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn) were analysed in different well-defined mixed copepod and euphausiid samples as well as in individually analysed decapods collected during a cruise on board “RV Walther Herwig III” to the Iberian Deep Sea Plain in March and April, 2002. We found a substantial interspecific heterogeneity with partially high mean Cd levels in the decapods: 1.9 mg kg-1 dry weight in samples of the genus Sergia; 6.1 mg kg-1 in Acanthephyra pelagica (Risso, 1816) and Acanthephyra acanthithelsonis Bate, 1888; 10.7 mg kg-1 in Bentheogennema intermedia (Bate, 1888); 14.9 mg kg-1 in Benthesicymus iridescens (Bate 1881) and 16.3 mg kg-1 in Systellaspis debilis (A. Milne Edwards, 1881). The agreement of these high Cd concentrations with those reported for polar crustaceans, and Cu concentrations (17–56 mg kg-1) that indicate that the total metabolic requirements have probably not been met, support the hypothesis that the frequently reported Cd-anomaly in polar crustaceans might be extended to other relatively deep ocean waters like the Iberian Deep Sea Plain and that this might be related to a corresponding Cu deficiency. Zn concentrations in decapods from this study (52–80 mg kg-1) are within the worldwide range, which indicates that decapods are able to regulate their Zn body concentrations. Our preliminary data on mixed zooplankton samples suggest that Pb concentrations far below 1 mg Pb kg-1 might serve as a regional background value for comparison in biomonitoring studies. Results for Cd, Cu and Zn are largely within the reported range, especially for data from the Central and Southern North Sea. Se analizaron trazas de metales (Cd, Cu, Pb y Zn) en diferentes muestras de mezclas bien definidas de Copepoda y Euphausiacea así como en Decapoda, recolectadas en una campaña del crucero “RV Walther Herwig III” en la Llanura Abisal Ibérica durante los meses de marzo y abril del 2002. Se encontró una considerable heterogeneidad interespecífica con algunos niveles promedios altos de Cd en los decápodos: 1,9 ...