Studies on copper and iron concentrations, distributions and uptake in the brachyuranCarcinus maenas(L.) following starvation

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Abstract
The influence of starvation on the tissue concentrations, distributions and uptake of copper and iron in Carcinus mamas is described. In clean seawater, the highest copper and iron concentrations were found in the gills in all crabs. Midgut gland copper levels in starved crabs were raised 3-4,fold compared with levels in fed crabs. In contrast, the haernolymph copper concentration was depressed following starvation. Exposure to seawater contaminated with 0.75 mg 1-1 of both copper and iron resulted in altered tissue metal loads. Copper concentrations increased most in the gill and midgut gland. Iron uptake and distribution were largely unaffected, except in the gill where levels increased. Metal uptake varied with nutritional state in some tissues. Exoskeleton copper concentration in metal-exposed, starved crabs increased to a level 4,-5 fold greater than that in metal-exposed, fed crabs. However, haemolymph protein and copper concentrations decreased in both fed and starved animals following simultaneous exposure to copper and iron. 40-80% of the whole body copper load was located in the haemolymph while > 50% ofthe whole body iron load was located in the exoskeleton. In clean seawater, whole body copper and iron loads were largely unaffected by nutritional state while in metal-contaminated seawater, whole body copper load was apparently elevated in starved crabs.