TRACE METALS IN MARINE MACROALGAE SAMPLES FROM THE JSKENDERUN BAY, TURKEY

摘要

iskenderun Bay, located in the most north-eastern part of Mediterranean Sea, is potentially threatened by anthropogenic activities, such as fishing, shipping, and industrial ones. The aim of the present study was to monitor the heavy metal pollution in three different stations at iskenderun Bay. For this purpose, two macroalgae samples {Padina pavonia (Phaeophyta) and Jania rubens (Rhodophyta) were collected, and the levels of iron (Fe), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), and cadmium (Cd) were measured by AAS analysis. In P. pavonia and J. rubens samples, heavy metal concentrations decreased in the following order: Fe > Pb > Cu > Cd. When the seasonal changes of heavy metals in J. rubens and P. pavonia were examined, it was generally found out that the accumulation amounts of Fe, Cu and Pb have their higher levels in autumn and decreased towards spring. The concentrations of heavy metals were higher in J. rubens than in P. pavonia samples, collected at the same stations. According to the results of the present study, J. rubens could be proposed as a bioindicator species for the evaluation of heavy metal-loading in Eastern Mediterranean, together with P. pavonia.