Portunus pelagicus (Linnaeus, 1758) as a Sentinel Species to Assess Trace Metal Occurrence: A Case Study of Kuwait Waters (Northwestern Arabian Gulf)

Heavy metal pollution can adversely impact marine life, such as crabs, which can accumulate it in different organs and potentially transfer and biomagnify along the food chain in aquatic ecosystems. This study aimed to examine the concentrations of heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn) in sediment, water, and crab tissues (gills, hepatopancreas, and carapace) of the blue swimmer crab Portunus pelagicus in the coastal areas of Kuwait, northwestern Arabian Gulf. Samples were collected from Shuwaikh Port, Shuaiba Port, and Al-Khiran areas. The accumulation of metals in crabs were higher in the carapace > gill > digestive gland, and the highest metal concentration was found in crabs collected from Shuwaikh > Shuaiba > Al-Khiran. The metal concentrations in the sediments were in the order Zn > Cu > Pb > Cd. Zn was the highest metal concentration detected in marine water sampled from the Al-Khiran Area, whereas the lowest metal was Cd sampled in water from the Shuwaikh Area. The results of this study validate the marine crab P. pelagicus as a relevant sentinel and prospective bioindicator for evaluating heavy metal pollution in marine ecosystems.

Automated summary

This study examined the concentrations of heavy metals in the blue swimmer crab and its surrounding environment in the coastal areas of Kuwait. The results showed that the carapace of the crab had the highest accumulation of heavy metals, followed by the gills and digestive gland. The metal concentrations also varied in different sampling locations, with highest levels found in crabs collected from Shuwaikh Port. This study confirms the blue swimmer crab as a suitable bioindicator for evaluating heavy metal pollution in marine ecosystems.