Algal species which are ubiquitous along the
coastlines of many countries reflect the environmental
conditions of the coastal seawater and may serve as useful
biomonitors of anthropogenic pollution. Heavy metal
concentrations of ten elements (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe,
Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn) of potential environmental concern
were determined in seawater, sediments and twelve species
of benthic marine macroalgae from four locations (Glenelg,
Port Adelaide, Port Broughton and Port Pirie) along the
South Australian coastline. The four sites chosen represented
varying degrees of metal contamination, where the
capacity for benthic macroalgae to accumulate heavy
metals from the environment was evaluated. Spatial differences
in heavy metal concentration in both seawaters
and sediments were observed at all sites with the highest
concentrations of heavy metals including Cd (125 μg g
-1),
Pb (2,425 μg g
-1) and Zn (7,974 μg g
-1) found in the finer
sediment fractions (<250 μm) of Port Pirie. While all algal
species studied (
Acrosorium polyneurum,
Anotrichium tenue,
Cystophora Cephalornithos Cystophora monillifera,
Cystophora monilliformis,
Dictyopteris australis,
Gelidium micropterum,
Gracilaria
,
Hormophysa Cuneiformis,
Sargassum cinctum,
Scaberia agardhii and
Ulva lactuca)
accumulated metals to varying degrees,
Blindigia marginata
was a good biomonitor species for a number of metals
including Cd, Co, Cr, Fe, Pb and Zn, exhibiting both relatively
high total metal concentrations and significant
concentration factors.
