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164509 
Journal Article 
Heavy metal concentrations in lobster (Homarus americanus) 
Vassiliev, T; Bayer, R; Congelton, W; Bushway, R; Vetelino, J 
2005 
1 
Journal of Shellfish Research
ISSN: 0730-8000
EISSN: 1943-6319 
24 
2 
680-681 
English 
WOS:000231367900207 
Since lobsters tend to bio-accumulate contaminates from the environment, Homarus americanus can be used as a bioindicator (sensor) for heavy metals. The digestive gland or tomalley helps to regulate heavy metal concentrations in the blood and tissue. Tomalley and muscle tissue from lobsters were chemically digested and analyzed for heavy metal concentrations with an Inter-Coupled Plasma Spectroscopy (ICP). A Flow Injection Mercury System (FIMS) was used to detect Mercury. Wet tissue digests and heavy metal analysis were conducted on thirty-four newly caught Maine lobsters. In addition, tomalley samples from Southwest Nova Scotia lobsters, with shell diseased, were also analyzed. Some of the results indicated significantly higher concentrations of Arsenic in the Long Island lobsters (P < .001). Also, significantly higher Mercury concentrations where found in the muscle tissue of the Casco Bay lobsters (P = 0.011). When comparing heavy metal concentrations in tomalley, the lobsters with shell disease showed significantly greater concentrations of Mercury, Copper, Arsenic, Calcium, Zinc, and Cadmium (all P-values < .001). Two prominent heavy metal correlations were Chromium by Vanadium (r = 0.933) and Aluminum by Chromium (r = 0.930). This study is part of The National Science Foundation support for sensor research experience for teachers at the University of Maine. 
Article Subject Terms: Aluminum; Arsenic; Blood; Cadmium; Calcium; Chromium; Coasts; Copper; Digestion; Education; Glands; Heavy metals; Indicator species; Marine crustaceans; Mercury; Muscles; Pollution; detection; Serological studies; Shells; Spectroscopy; Vanadium; Zinc; Article Taxonomic Terms: Homarus americanus; Article Geographic Terms:; ANW, USA, Maine; ANW, USA, New York, Long Island