Toxic and Trace Elements in Seaweeds from a North Atlantic Ocean Region (Tenerife, Canary Islands)

• Published in: Sustainability
• Main Authors: Soraya Paz, Carmen Rubio-Armendáriz, Inmaculada Frías, Fernando Guillén-Pino, Daniel Niebla-Canelo, Samuel Alejandro-Vega, Ángel J. Gutiérrez, Arturo Hardisson, Dailos González-Weller
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2022
• Subjects: trace elements; macroalgae; environmental risk; Canary Islands; marine pollution; Environmental effects of industries and plants; TD194-195; Renewable energy sources; TJ807-830; Environmental sciences; GE1-350; North Atlantic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.3390/su14105967; https://doaj.org/article/61a46f8d7ce240779a30562367a6db7e

Canary Islands is a North Atlantic Ocean archipelago in the Macaronesian region that stand out for its great algae diversity and its climatic conditions. However, even in this low industrialised area, human activities tend to increase the marine pollution. Asparagopsis spp. and Liagora spp. algae are red algae frequent in the Canary Islands’ coasts. Therefore, they could be used as bio-indicators of marine pollution for trace elements. A total of 30 samples of both algae’s species from Tenerife’s southern coast, specifically in Playa Grande, Porís de Abona, in Arico (Tenerife, Spain) were used to determine trace element content (Mn, B, Ba, Cu, Cd, Co, Fe, Li, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sr, V, Zn, Al, Cr) through inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP—OES). Highest Fe concentrations were found in Liagora spp. concentrations (1190 ± 1545 mg/kg dw) and Al (288 ± 157 mg/kg dw) was more significant in Asparagopsis spp. High concentrations of B were also registered in both species 80.2 ± 34.2 mg/kg dw and 77.9 ± 34.2 mg/kg dw, respectively. The recorded concentrations show a high contamination scenario in the collected area. Porís is known by its marine diversity and by its higher pollution levels, compared with other locations of Tenerife, due to the currents present on the Canary Island and its singular north orientation, actions must be taken to reduce pollution.