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Burrowing Crab (Neohelice granulata) as a Potential Bioindicator of Heavy Metals in the Bahía Blanca Estuary, Argentina

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Abstract

Bioindicators can be used to determine spatial and/or temporal variations of heavy metals in a certain coastal or marine environments. This study investigated the potential use of the burrowing crab Neohelice granulata from two different locations in the Bahía Blanca estuary, a moderately polluted ecosystem. Concentrations of zinc (Zn), nickel (Ni), and lead (Pb) in soft tissues of male and female crabs were measured. In addition, concentrations of the three metals in eggs were compared with concentrations in female crabs. No geographical differences were found for any of the three metals, whereas sexual and seasonal differences were obtained for Zn and Ni, with the winter season posing lower concentrations. Moreover, the three metals were detectable in eggs and were lower than concentrations in female crabs (except for Zn). Finally, the usefulness of this species as a potential bioindicator of heavy-metal pollution within this estuarine ecosystem is discussed.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank M. Nedda Chiarello and Javier Arlenghi (IADO) for valuable help in the laboratory analyses. This research was supported by a grant funded by the National Council of Scientific and Technological Researches (CONICET–Argentina) and with the 2008 Latin America E. Alexander Bergstrom Memorial Research Award from the Association of Field Ornithologists.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Área de Oceanografía Química, Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía, CCT-CONICET, Camino La Carrindanga, km 7.5, B8000FWB, Bahía Blanca, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Pía Simonetti, Sandra Elizabeth Botté & Jorge Eduardo Marcovecchio

  2. Área de Oceanografía Biológica, Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía, CCT-CONICET, Camino La Carrindanga, km 7.5, B8000FWB, Bahía Blanca, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Pía Simonetti & Sandra Marcela Fiori

  3. Departmento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional del Sur, San Juan 670, B8000ICN, Bahía Blanca, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Sandra Elizabeth Botté & Sandra Marcela Fiori

  4. Universidad Tecnológica Nacional, 11 de Abril 461, B8000LMI, Bahía Blanca, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Jorge Eduardo Marcovecchio

  5. Universidad FASTA, Gascón 3145, B7600FNK, Mar del Plata, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Jorge Eduardo Marcovecchio

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  1. Pía Simonetti
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  2. Sandra Elizabeth Botté
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  3. Sandra Marcela Fiori
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  4. Jorge Eduardo Marcovecchio
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Correspondence to Pía Simonetti.

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Simonetti, P., Botté, S.E., Fiori, S.M. et al. Burrowing Crab (Neohelice granulata) as a Potential Bioindicator of Heavy Metals in the Bahía Blanca Estuary, Argentina. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 64, 110–118 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-012-9804-1

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