The Toxic Effects of Chloroform Stress Exposure on the Mediterranean Green Crab (Carcinus aestuarii)

The presence of different chemical substances in the aquatic environment such as chloroform, present high concern for potential adverse effects on non-target species. Chloroform, is known more formally as trichloromethane (CHCl3). It is a volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which can be founded most frequently in both surface and ground water. In Albania, studies which estimate the effect of chloroform in aquatic living organisms are not present. The current study evaluates the physiological response of Mediterranean green crab Carcinus aestuarii against to chloroform exposure by measuring the haemolymph glucose level enzimatically. 20 animals were used for this experiment. Ten green crabs were assigned as the eyestalk-ablated group and the remaining ten animals as an intact group. Animals were exposed to the diluted chloroform solution on the ratio 1:1000 for 15 min (concentration: 0.005g/L). During experiments, the time exposure was recorded. Before and after exposure, the haemolymph glucose level was measured and the results showed that haemolymph glucose level, which was measured into intact animals, was significantly increased (F= 8.93, df=1, 10, p=0.014 so p 0.05) while into eye-stalk animals the haemolymph glucose level is slightly decreased, (F=4.571, df=1, 10, p=0.058 so p 0.05). The results of chloroform stress exposure indicate an aquatic environmental risk of this chemical substance for living organisms even in low concentrations. Obtained data on the biological effect of chloroform on Mediterranean green crab, Carcinus aestuarii, showed that these species can be used as bio indicator for bio-monitoring pollution of the aquatic environment.