Zinc stable isotopes in mangrove crabs as tracers of anthropogenic contamination in a tropical estuary.

Our study presents a novel approach for tracing anthropogenic zinc (Zn) bioaccumulation in mangrove crabs using Zn stable isotope compositions (δZn). We analyzed δZn and elemental composition in crab tissues from Brazilian mangroves within a coastal lagoon historically impacted by electroplating waste. Crabs from the mangrove area near the old electroplating plant exhibited the highest Zn concentrations in both muscle and hepatopancreas, likely reflecting the high Zn bioavailability in these sediments.