ANALYZING HEAVY-METAL CONCENTRATIONS IN THE DIFFERENT PARTS OF ELODEA-CANADENSIS AND SURFACE SEDIMENT WITH PCA IN 2 BOREAL LAKES IN SOUTHERN FINLAND

The concentrations of six heavy metals (Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, Ni, Cr) were s tudied in the roots, shoots and leaves of Elodea canadensis and in the surface sediment collected in four different parts in the eutrophic L . Vesijarvi and in the oligotrophic L. Paajarvi in Southern Finland. P rincipal component analysis was performed on the data set. The heavy m etal concentrations of Elodea canadensis depend on the part of the pla nt and do not indicate the heavy metal concentrations in the growing p lace. Elodea canadensis accumulates Fe and Cu in the roots and Ni, Mn and Cr in the leaves. The concentrations of these five metals were low est in the shoots, indicating the uptake route and transport of these metals in the macrophyte. Zn is mobile in Elodea canadensis, since it' s concentration was nearly as high in the roots, shoots and leaves. Th e order of Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn and Fe concentrations in the sediment were t he same between different sampling places. Only Mn differed slightly f rom this order. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.