Use of algae for monitoring of heavy metals in the River Vardar, Macedonia

Abstract

Aiming to resolve some of the problems regarding monitoring of heavy metals in rivers using Cladophora glomerata and epilithic algal communities, a year's survey of Co, Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb and Zn has been conducted on the river Vardar, FY Republic of Macedonia. Obtained results and statistical analysis clearly point out the well documented possibility of using epilithon (basically diatom communities) as a monitoring tool, since correlation patterns for epilithon are either better or the same as those for Cladophora, while at the same time epilithon is much more reliable for monitoring, especially in cases when no other plant material can be obtained.