Flux of heavy metal accumulation in various organs of the intertidal marine blue crab, Portunus pelagicus (L.) from the Kuwait coast after the Gulf War

The metal levels of arsenic, chromium, copper, lead, magnesium, manganese, selenium, vanadium, and zinc concentrations were determined in various body organs, viz., hepatopancreas, gills, a gonad, gastric stomach, and muscle of the blue crab, Portunus pelagicus (Crustacea: Decapoda) to assess the bi oaccumulation of metals associated with petroleum input a decade after the 1991 Gulf War oil spillage. Sample solutions prepared were analyzed using a n atomic absorption spectrophotometry. High concentrations of Zn and Cu in the muscle and hepatopancreas tissues were a strong indicative of high expo sure of P. pelagicus to these metals. However, muscle tissue had been found to accumulate the highest values for all metal speciations analyzed. Coppe r, zinc, and chromium in samples collected from Station II covering the Kuw ait City area were often in excess of those present in Station I and III. A rsenic, lead, magnesium, manganese, selenium, and vanadium were greater in individuals obtained from Station I. A significant correlation was found to exist between Se and V in crab muscle with a surge in Se metal concentrati on, which was found to be inversely proportional to that of V metal concent ration irrespective of the sex of the crab, The difference in patterns of m etal occurrence and the significant increase in the Cu and Zn concentration s in various organs of the crab were largely associated with the 1991 Gulf War oil spill. Such results could be used as a baseline for the monitoring of the level of metals in marine organisms of future studies. (C) 2001 Else vier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.