Accumulation of heavy metals (Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Zn) in the freshwater alga Ulva type, sediments and water of the Wielkopolska region, Poland

The concentration of five trace elements: cobalt (Co), chrome (Cr), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn) and zinc (Zn) was determined in the Ulva thalli, in the water and sediment collection from several inland sites (lakes, stream and river) from the Wielkopolska region during summer 2010. The multielemental analysis of the heavy metal concentration was carried out with the use of ICP-OES method. The aim of this study was to determine the role of tubular forms as biomonitoring species. The relative abundance of metals in sediment decreased in the order: Mn > Zn > Cu > Cr > Co and in the water: Cr > Mn > Zn > Cu > Co. In Ulva thalli the distribution order from higher to lower was Mn > Zn > Cr > Cu > Co. The results indicate that the concentration changes of heavy metals in thallus, water and sediment have some differences, but concentration distribution tends to be similar, because among the analysed heavy metals Mn has the highest concentrations while Co the lowest abundance in the thalli and sediment of all the sites. Possibility to use freshwater species from Ulva genus as bioindicators of water pollution by manganese requires further study