A preliminary survey of metal concentrations in heterotrophic slimes collected from a variety of lotic systems has shown that metals are readily accumulated. Large concentration ratios resulted in maximum concentrations in slimes of Zn 851, Pb 605, Cu 192, Cr 97.2, Ni 52.0 and Cd 2.4 μg g‐1from effluents containing low concentrations of metals. As heterotrophic organisms form the base of aquatic food chains then it is possible that accumulated metals could enter the food web via invertebrate grazers and browsers feeding on the slime.
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