Bioaccumulation of trace metals by red alga Corallina elongata in the coast of Beni Saf, west coast, Algeria

Noria Kada Benabdallah, Djamila Harrache, Alba Mir, Miguel de la Guardia, Fatima-Zahra Benhachem

Abstract

The aim of present research was to study the accumulation of trace metals s (Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, V, Zn, Co) by the red alga Corallina elongata, collected in four sampling sites located in the Beni saf coast (Algerian west coast), where two
of them are characterized by discharges of urban effluents or from port activity, and the two others are seaside resorts. The differences were observed between sampling sites for the presence some heavy metals. Indeed, it appears that the
bioaccumulation of Cu, Ni, Cd and Pb by red alga is from continental origin, such as discharges of urban effluents or those derived from port activity. However, the accumulation of Zn, Co, Cr by this alga is not influenced by the surrounding
environment, or that the bioavailability of these elements is lower, therefore, it seems that bioaccumulation of these metals by Corallina elongata is influenced by other factors. The spatio-temporal variations show that the accumulation of
metals Fe, Zn, Cu, Cr, Pb in the red alga is highest in summer. However, the concentration of Co and Cd tend to be accumulated in the alga, in winter. The Fe concentration was a good predictor of Mn, Zn, Cu, Ni,V accumulation in this
species of alga. A strong correlation was observed between Fe and Mn, which confirms the big similarity of their biochemical roles, already known in the marine environment. However, Zn inhibits Cd accumulation in red alga. Our
study shows that heavy metal accumulation is associated with nature of the metal, degree of contamination of sampling site, physicochemical properties of the marine environment and the season.