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Long-term investigation of metal concentrations in brown algae Fucus vesiculosus from the Gulf of Riga, Baltic Sea The study was conducted in the coastal area of the Gulf of Riga at three stations (Ainaži, Saulkrasti, Mērsrags) from 1997 till 2010. Brown algae samples were collected at 3.0-m depth from a boat using scuba gear in August and September. The concentrations of metals (Cd, Pb, Cu, Ni, Zn) were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry method (model Spektra A 880), and of Hg by FIMS (Flow Injection Mercury System, Perkin Elmer). The aim of this investigation was to determine the concentration levels of metals (Hg, Cd, Pb, Cu, Ni, Zn) in the dominant species of macroalgae (Fucus vesiculosus) in the Gulf of Riga in different stations and years. Metal concentrations in F. vesiculosus varied between sampling years and stations, and significant differences in Hg, Pb and Ni concentrations between years were detected. In some years the concentrations of metals in F. vesiculosus were similar in all three stations. Brown algae F. vesiculosus can accumulate metals to concentrations thousand times higher than in marine water.

Implementation of Trophic Status Index in Brackish Water Quality Assessment of Baltic Coastal Waters The assessment of the trophic state of marine coastal waters is one of the leading initiatives declared in the European Water Framework Directive (WFD). The Baltic Sea is a semi-enclosed ecosystem which consists of subregions with wide salinity and seasonality gradients. Anthropogenic impact results in eutrophication processes on different scales. Efficient eutrophication control and environmental management in the Baltic Sea, according to WFD, requires a prerequisite of common and sensitive indicators for the European coastal waters including the Baltic Sea. In this article the Trophic Status Index TRIX, recently succcesfully implemented in Mediterranean and Northern European sea coastal waters as a holistic approach indicator, was implemented for the Gulf of Rīga and Latvian Baltic Sea coastal water quality assessment between 1999 and 2005.

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