Mangrove metal pollution induces biological tolerance to Cd on a crab sentinel species subpopulation

Abstract

Metals are persistent pollutants, able to accumulate in the biota andmagnify in trophicweb. In the specific case of cadmium contamination, it has been the subject of considerable interest in recent years because of its biological effects and it is one ofmajor pollutant in estuarine areas. Ucides cordatus is considered amangrove local sentinel crab species in Brazil and there are previous studies reporting crab subpopulations living frompristine to heavily metal impacted areas in São Paulo coast (Southeastern Brazil). Taking into account the background knowledge about these subpopulations, we proposed the hypothesis that crabs from a highly polluted mangrove (Cubatão - CUB) have developed biological tolerance to cadmium compared to animals from an Environmental Protected Area (Jureia - JUR). Aiming to verify this hypothesis, we have investigated total bioaccumulation and subcellular partition of Cd, besides biomarkers' responses during a long-termexposure bioassay (28 days, withweekly sampling) using a supposedly safe Cd concentration (0.0022 mg L−1). Specimens from the pristine area (JUR) accumulated higher total Cd, as such as in its biologically active form in gills. Animals living in the polluted site (CUB) presented higher amounts of Cd in themainly detoxifying tissue (hepatopancreas), which could be considered a pathway leading to tolerance for this metal. Multivariate analysis indicated that bioaccumulation (active, detoxified and total Cd) is linked to geno-cytotoxic damages. CUB subpopulationwas considered more tolerant since it presented proportionally less damage and more capacity to allocate Cd in themain detoxifying forms and tissues.