Determination of Heavy Metal Contents in Macro/Micro Algae Samples by ICP-OES.

Algae are an important part of the food chain in the aquatic environment as a rich source of pigments, oils, proteins, phenolic compounds, terpenes and alkaloids. Algae are widely used in well-being products due to the beneficial effects provided by the compounds they contain. Heavy metals in aquatic ecosystems where algae inhabited appears as a global problem in terms of public health due to accumulated in the food chain. In evaluating the usage of algae, it is important to determine the heavy metal residues as well as to examine essential elements. In this study, it was aimed to determine heavy metal contents in 7 different algae species that collected from Southeastern Anatolia Province. The samples were prepared for analysis by the microwave solubilization method. The analysis were carried out by ICP-OES. The detected most dominant elements were Na, K, Ca, K, P, Mn and Fe while the Mg, Al, Li, Be, Cd and Sb were least concentration in all algae species. The Ni concentrations of Microcystis aeruginosa (631.70±2.01 µg/kg) and Myriophyllum spicatum (1067.69±1.91 µg/kg) and the Na concentrations of Aphanizomenon flos-aquae (1032879.59±21924.44 µg/kg) were detected above the acceptance limits (0.571±0.028 mg/kg for Ni and 680.00± 23.00 mg/kg for Na) that are defined by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The concentrations of Ca, K, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Zn, As, Cd and Pb were detected all within the acceptable limits defined by IAEA. According to results, the evaluated that algae species were collected from this region can be used as a potential functional resource.