METAL CONTENT OF SOME GREEN AND BROWN SEAWEEDS FROM ANTIKYRA-GULF (GREECE)

An analysis was made of the levels of Fe, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, Na, K, Ca an d Mg in three green and four brown seaweeds, abundant in the Antikyra Gulf (Viotia, Greece). After Ca and the macroelements K, Mg, Na, the h igher concentrations found were of Fe and Pb, with Fe>Pb. Cadmium cont ent was low in most species. Differences between species and taxonomic groups were also considered. Fe, Zn, Cd and Ca in the green alga Dasy cladus vermicularis increased from March to July and had their maxima in summer or autumn (Cd), whereas Cu, Pb and Mg showed an opposite pat tern of seasonal variation with maxima in winter. Cu, Zn, Cd and K in D. vermicularis were correlated with their concentrations in the sedim ent and not with their dissolved levels in seawater. Iron in D. vermic ularis was positively correlated with Zn and negatively with Cd.