Crustaceans inhabiting metal-contaminated freshwaters are susceptible to toxic insult to their osmoregulatory systems. The main osmoregulatory organs of decapod crustaceans, the gills, are continually bathed in freshwater and are therefore at risk from trace metal impacts. The effects of chronic (21 d) exposure to raised dissolved concentrations of Zn, Cd, Cu and Pb on aspects of hydromineral balance were investigated in Potamonautes warreni, a freshwater crab endemic to rivers in South Africa at potential risk from trace metal contamination from mining operations. Generally, hydromineral balance of P. warreni was tolerant to chronic metal exposures although sublethal cadmium exposure of 860 µg.l⁻¹ for 21 days resulted in a reduced sodium concentration in the haemolymph. A chronic exposure to 43 µg.l⁻¹ cadmium produced an elevated maximum unidirectional sodium uptake, possibly resulting from acclimation to the metal exposure. Branchial Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase and V-Type H⁺-ATPase activity were not affected by chronic in vivo Cd (43 µg.l⁻¹) and Zn (500 µg.l⁻¹) exposures. An important aspect of ameliorating metal toxicity may be through antioxidants and therefore the effects of applying a reducing agent were tested following in vitro metal treatment. Inhibition of Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase could be prevented by pre-incubation with a reducing agent, indicating the importance of antioxidants in reducing metal toxicity in this species. Although this study demonstrates the physiological resilience of P. warreni to dissolved trace metal impacts, the energetic consequences of long-term exposure are as yet not known.

栖息在受金属污染的淡水中的甲壳类动物，其渗透调节系统容易受到毒性损害。十足目甲壳类动物的主要渗透调节器官，鳃，不断地沐浴在淡水中，因此面临微量金属影响的风险。在Potamonautes warreni中研究了长期（21 天）暴露于溶解浓度升高的 Zn、Cd、Cu 和 Pb 对水矿物平衡方面的影响，Potamonautes warreni是一种在南非河流中特有的淡水蟹，存在来自采矿的痕量金属污染的潜在风险操作。通常，P. warreni 的水矿物质平衡耐受慢性金属暴露，尽管亚致死镉暴露为 860 µg.l ^-121 天导致血淋巴中钠浓度降低。长期暴露于 43 µg.l ^-1镉导致最大单向钠吸收升高，这可能是由于对金属暴露的适应。鳃Na ⁺ /K ⁺ -ATPase 和V-Type H ⁺ -ATPase 活性不受体内慢性Cd (43 µg.l ^-1 ) 和Zn (500 µg.l ^-1 ) 暴露的影响。改善金属毒性的一个重要方面可能是通过抗氧化剂，因此在体外金属处理后测试了使用还原剂的效果。Na ⁺ /K ^{+ 的}抑制-ATPase 可以通过与还原剂预孵育来阻止，这表明抗氧化剂在降低该物种的金属毒性方面的重要性。尽管这项研究证明了P. warreni对溶解的微量金属影响的生理弹性，但长期暴露的能量后果尚不清楚。