The accumulation of metal (Co, Cr, Cu, Mn and Zn) in freshwater Ulva (Chlorophyta) and its habitat

Abstract

The possibility of using freshwater Ulva (Chlorophyta) as a bioaccumulator of metals (Co, Cr, Cu, Mn and Zn) in lake and river water was examined weekly in the summer of 2010 in three types of samples: the water, the sediment and the thalli of Ulva. Samples of freshwater Ulva were collected from two aqueous ecosystems lie 250 km away from the basin of the Baltic Sea and 53 km from each other. A flow lake located in the centre of the big city was the first water reservoir (ten sites) and second, the suburban river (six sites). The mean metal concentrations in the Ulva tissue from the river and the lake decreased in the following order:respectively. Moreover, a negative and statistically significant correlation between Mn concentrations in the Ulva thalli and the river water was observed. Additionally, numerous correlations were noted between the different concentrations of metals within the Ulva thalli, in the water and in the sediment. The great concentrations of Mn and Zn and the smallest of Co were found in thalli of Ulva, irrespective of the type of the ecosystem from which samples of algal thalli originated. Freshwater Ulva populations examined in this study were clearly characterized a dozen or so times by the higher Mn and Cr accumulation than taxa from that genera coming from sea ecosystems. The calculated bioconcentration factor confirm the high potential for freshwater Ulva to be a bioaccumulator of trace metals in freshwater ecosystems.

Biomass of freshwater Cladophora as a raw material for agriculture and the cosmetic industry

“…Thus, one of the aims of this study was to analyze the elemental composition and to determine the amino acid and fatty acid content in the biomass of freshwater Cladophora. A negative factor for using macroscopic green algae, taking into account Cladophora biomass, can be Cladophora's ability to accumulate heavy metals [20,21]. In recent years, the biosorption process using Cladophora species has been widely studied including such metals as chromium [22], lead [23], cadmium [24], selenium [25] and others [26].…”

Bioaccumulation of selected metals in bivalves (Unionidae) and Phragmites australis inhabiting a municipal water reservoir

“…Therefore, it is important to monitor their levels in the surface water of any human use. Recently, many studies have focused on the evaluation of trace metal bioaccumulation in the aquatic biota including microorganisms (Rzymski et al 2013; Twining and Baines 2013), macroalgae (Rybak et al 2012a, b, 2013), higher plants (Mishra et al 2008; Obolewski et al 2011), macroinvertebrates (Liu et al 2010; Tunca et al 2013), fish (Mason et al 2000), and birds (Alhashemi et al 2011; Wurtsbaugh et al 2011). …”

Ulva flexuosa(Ulvaceae, Chlorophyta) inhabiting inland aquatic ecosystems: molecular, morphological and ecological discrimination of subspecies

“…lakes, fish ponds and streams) (Whitton & Dalpra, 1968;Mareš et al, 2011;Rybak et al, 2013). Detailed information on the freshwater habitats of Ulva in central Europe was provided by Namysłowski (1927), Fischer (1920), Zapletálek (1932), Krist (1934) and Brabez (1941).…”