Physiological and histopathological responses of Porcellio laevis (Isopoda, Crustacea) as indicators of metal trace element contamination.

This study was designed to assess the impact of the mixture of cadmium (Cd) and zinc (Zn) on the bioaccumulation and the ultrastructural changes in the hepatopancreas of Porcellio laevis (Latreille, 1804) after 4 weeks of exposure to contaminated Quercus leaves under laboratory conditions. For each metal, four concentrations were used with four replicates for each concentration. Metal concentrations in the hepatopancreas and the rest of the body were determined using atomic absorption spectrometry. From the first week until the end of the experiment, a weight gain in P. laevis was observed particularly between the first and the end of exposure from 93.3 ± 18.22 mg fw to 105.22 ± 16.16 mg fw and from 106.4 ± 22.67 mg fw to 125.9 ± 23.9 mg fw for Mix1 and Mix4, respectively. Additionally, the determined metal trace elements (MTE) concentrations in the hepatopancreas were considerably higher compared to those in the rest of the body and seem to be dose-dependent. Using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), some alterations were highlighted in the hepatopancreas. The main observed alterations were (a) the destruction of the microvilli border in a considerable portion of cells, (b) the increase of the lipid droplets with different shapes and sizes, (c) the increase in the number of the mitochondria, and (d) the appearance of TE in the form of B-type granules. The obtained results confirmed the ability of P. laevis to deal with high amounts of MTE, suggesting its possible use in future soil's biomonitoring programs.