Multi-response biomarker approach in the crab Carcinus aestuarii experimentally exposed to benzo(a)pyrene, polychlorobiphenyls and methyl-mercury

The aim of this study was to test a multi-response biomarker approach for evaluating toxicological risk due to some of the main contaminants in the Mediterranean (benzo(a)pyrene, polychlorobiphenyls and methyl-mercury), using the Mediterranean crab Carcinus aestuarii as bioindicator organism. Forty crabs were injected with different doses of these contaminants. Several molecular, biochemical and genotoxic biomarkers were tested in different tissues and biological materials. The main conclusions were: (1) hepatopancreas, gills, haemolymph and excreta seem to be useful for biomarker studies in this species; (2) several biochemical, molecular and genotoxic biomarkers were found suitable for testing in these tissues; (3) several biomarkers were found suitable for evaluating chemical stress due to different Mediterranean contaminants.