Ecological implications of trace metals in seaweeds: Bio-indication potential for metal contamination in Wandoor, South Andaman Island

Abstract

Concentration levels of Mn, Pb, Zn, Cd, Cu and Cr in six seaweed samples (Acetabularia calyculus, Corallina sp., Galaxura marginata, Sargassum duplicatum, Sargassum swartzi and Dictyota bartayresiana) were determined from Wandoor, south Andaman Island. Metals were extracted from sample homogenates and quantified by atomic absorption spectrometry. In the present investigation, heavy metal concentration levels in the following order: Mn > Pb > Cd. It is observed that Zn was only present in free floating brown seaweed S. swartzi. Cu and Cr did not show its presence in any of the seaweeds that was sampled. Metal pollution index (MPI) of six seaweed species were observed in the following decending order: A. calyculus > Corallina sp. > D. bartayresiana > G. marginata > S. duplicatum > S. swartzi. Results showed that chlorophyta, A. calyculus contained the highest concentration of heavy metals as compared to other algal species. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that the concentration of metals was significantly different (p < 0.05) with respect to different species around the study area.