Non-destructive assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) exposure by fluorimetric analysis of crab urine

The detection of urinary polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) metabolites by fluorescence spectrophotometry is particularly effective as a practical means to assess PAH exposure in decapod crabs. However, the practical application of this technique has thus far only been tested for the European shore crab (Carcinus maenas) and only a few field studies have been conducted in heavily polluted areas. The present study evaluated the adaptability of this method as a rapid, cost-effective and non-destructive biomonitoring tool for the New Zealand crab species, Macrophthalmus hirtipes (stalk-eyed mud crab). A field gradient could be detected among the sites and different input sources of PAH contamination could be discerned through the differentiation of pyrogenic and petrogenic PAH signatures. The present study shows that the fluorescence screening method is sensitive to relatively low levels of PAH contamination and more broadly applicable to smaller crab species than C. maenas, for which the technique was developed.