The role of coat changing in the process of extracting mercury from the organism of the crawfish Astacus Leptodactylus L. at its chronic uptake with feed
Specificities of the distribution of mercury in the organs and tissues of the crawfish Astacus Leptodactylus L. were studied. It was shown that at both low and higher levels of the metal content in feed the main accumulation takes place in muscular tissues. The content of Hg in the exoskeleton and exuvium of the crawfish was established at the consequent stages of the coat changing cycle (A1`-C3, C4, E). Two dose-dependent responses to the extraction of the metal from the animals organisms were established. Low concentrations of mercury in exuvium structures show the absence of intensive processes of metal extracting in Astacus Leptodactylus L.