Concentrations of aluminum in gut tissue of crayfish (Procambarus clarkii), purged in sodium chloride
- Widener Univ., Chester, PA (United States)
- Louisiana State Univ. Medical Center, Shreveport, LA (United States)
Recent concern over the release of Al in the environment has prompted researchers and health officials to assess its effects on biological systems. Aluminum, despite being the most abundant metal in earth`s lithosphere, is normally complexed in soil and is therefore unavailable for biological assimilation. The recent advent of acid rain, however, has prompted Al release due to mobilization from surrounding sediments into the environment. This is of particular concern in aquatic environments because organisms in aquatic food chains can access and concentrate sublethal levels of Al in their tissues relatively quickly. The ingestion of affected organisms by humans may therefore pose a potential health risk. One such organism, is known to concentrate metals in a variety of tissues. In northern Louisiana, many people trap or fish for crayfish in lowland areas which lie adjacent to highways and secondary roadways. Water, soil, and crayfish from these areas are known to contain high levels of Al. Some tissues known to concentrate Al (muscle, hepatopancreas and intestine tissue and contents) are those which humans commonly consume. The ingestion of these tissues may therefore expose humans to elevated Al levels. Many people who eat crayfish often purge them in dilute concentrations (1-2%) of NaCl to rid them of contaminants and make them more palatable. We are aware of no literature which corroborates the claim that purging removes contaminating metals. The objectives of this study were to (1) document the amount of Al found in water, soil, and gut tissue of crayfish (P. clarkii) collected from a roadside wetland site; (2) determine the affect of NaCl purging on the release of Al in P. clarkii and (3) assess the differences in Al levels found between stomach tissue, stomach tissue contents, intestine tissue, and intestine contents in P. clarkii. 12 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- OSTI ID:
- 35677
- Journal Information:
- Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, Vol. 49, Issue 4; Other Information: PBD: Oct 1992
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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