Copper toxicity in the crab, Scylla serrata, copper levels in tissues and regulation after exposure to a copper-rich medium
In the decapod crustaceans copper is distributed in various tissues. In these animals the tissue copper generally exists in four forms; ionic, bound to proteins, lipids and membrane. In the estuarine crab Scylla serrata, the haemolymph copper exists only in association with proteins, whereas in the hepatopancreas it exists in all the four forms and in gills it exists in all the forms except in combination with lipids. Although food is the major source of copper in decapod crustaceans evidence indicate that copper may be directly obtained from the environment. It was postulated earlier that in Scylla serrata the haemolymph and hepatopancreas may be involved in copper regulation. In the present work the authors have studied the nature and levels of copper in different tissues after exposing the crabs to copper-rich medium. The results indicate the relative importance of various tissues in accumulation an the possible mechanisms of regulation of the environmental copper. Besides, as a pre-requisite for studies of this kind, the toxic levels for different forms of copper were estimated since the form of toxicant is known to influence the toxicity to the decapod crustaceans.
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of Madras (India)
- OSTI ID:
- 5313081
- Journal Information:
- Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol.; (United States), Journal Name: Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol.; (United States) Vol. 39:4; ISSN BECTA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
ARTHROPODS
BODY
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBONATES
CATIONS
CHARGED PARTICLES
CHLORIDES
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
COPPER CARBONATES
COPPER CHLORIDES
COPPER COMPOUNDS
COPPER HALIDES
COPPER SULFATES
CRABS
CRUSTACEANS
DECAPODS
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
ENDOCRINE GLANDS
GILLS
GLANDS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
INVERTEBRATES
IONS
LIVER
METABOLISM
MORTALITY
ORGANS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PANCREAS
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
SULFATES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
TOXICITY
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS