| Fisheries reports on the landings of red lobster, Palinurus elephas, show a drastic reduction in catches in Corsica, and in Europe since the 1970s. This results in a sudden decline in its populations, and its biomass. In order to thwart this biological, economic and social disaster; it is important to implement management strategies and tools for lobster fisheries in Europe. This necessarily requires knowledge of the life cycle and biological characteristics of the species, as well as knowing how the variation of physico-chemical parameters and biotic interactions can impact these life history traits. The contamination by trace elements for this species has so far never been a subject of research. However, the toxicity of some of these elements can considerably influence the demography of the species, and therefore, on the stock of the resource, and the ecosystem. Thus, the quantification of the concentration level of 24 trace elements (Lithium, Beryllium, Aluminum, Calcium, Vanadium, Chromium, Iron, Manganese, Cobalt, Nickel, Copper, Zinc, Arsenic, Selenium, Strontium, Molybdenum, Silver, Cadmium, Tin, Antimony, Barium, Lead, Bismuth and Uranium), thanks to mass an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry analysis (ICP-MS), will allow the creation of a database and a reliable methodological tool concerning the toxicological study of this biological material. The growth process, very important in the regulations attributed to a fishery, and in particular the effect of the exuviation process on the level of concentration of the elements, will serve as a basis for this study. The results suggest some form of evacuation of contaminants during the molting phases for this species, and show high concentrations of Silver and Lead. This study report is therefore the pilot project of trace element contamination in spiny lobster. |