Brown macroalgae as bio-indicators for heavy metals pollution of Al-Jubail coastal area of Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Wastes from industrial and domestic sources and habitat destruction have a substantial effect on coastal environments. They cause serious problems in many countries and for several seas and oceans leading to the extinction of plant and animal species. Many water resources are no longer suitable for drinking or agriculture due to pollution. This work assessed the efficiency of 4 brown a as bioindicators of toxic heavy metals (Mn, Cu, Zn, arsenite [As], Cd, Pb) along the Persian Gulf coast of the industrial city, Al-jubail, Saudi Arabia. Brown macroalgae were collected from 3 sites at 3 different times: Jan., March, and May, 2010. The collected brown macroalgae were identified as Sargassum angustifolium, S. boveanum, S. latifolium, and Padina gymnospora. Algal samples were cleaned with seawater and distd. water, dried, and concns. of various toxic metals were detd. Av. Mn, Co, Ni, and Cd concns. were within expected limits of un-polluted areas; however, results high Zn2+ accumulation in all tested brown algae, with highest concns. in S. angustifolium > P. gymnospora > S. latifolium > S. boveanum at 991 ± 49.1, 988 ± 47.5, 980 ± 44.2, and 911 ± 39.7 μg/g dry wt., resp. Also, Cu was detected at a high concn. of 92.1 ± 3.7 μg/g dry wt. in S. boveanum. Results clearly indicated high pollution levels of the Al-jubail coast (Zn and Cu heavy metals), mostly due to uncontrolled industrial waste disposal in the coastal area. The Zn concn. consistency in all tested brown algae indicated the efficiency of the studied algae for Zn bioaccumulation and bio-monitoring. [on SciFinder(R)]