Concentration of polyvalent metals by seaweeds in Vostok Bay,Sea of Japan

Spectrophotometric methods were used to measure the contents of the polyvalent metals Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Mo and Zn in 16 species of red, brown, and green seaweeds and 2 species of higher water plants collected from the intertidal and sublittoral zones of Vostok Bay, Sea of Japan. Some of the species displayed a unique capability for increased accumulation of groups of several metals. We have termed this ability specific group concentration. Thus, Ptilota filicina concentrates Ti, V, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, and Mo; Polysiphonia japonica Ti, V, Mn, Fe, Zn, Mo, and Cr; Rhodomela larix Ti, V, Mn, Fe, Ni, Zn, and Cr; Agarum cribrosum Ti, V, Mn, Fe, Ni, Zn, and Cr; Ulvaria splendens Ti, V, Mn, Fe, Ni, and Cu; Ulva fenestrata Mn, Fe, Ni, and Cu; Enteromorpha prolifera Mn, Co, Zn, Mo, and Cr; codium yessoensis V, Mn, Fe, Ni, and Cr; Zostera asiatica Ti, Mn, Ni, and Mo; Phyllospadix iwatensis Ti, V, Mn, Fe, and Zn. Specific group concentration makes possible a new approach to the study of active transport of polyvalent metals, physiologically significant for live organisms, through cell membranes, and the study of the formation of complex metal compounds inside the cell, i.e., the study of the processes that determine the degree of element concentration. The contents of the metals studied in sea water and the accumulation coefficients were also determined. The variation range is extremely high both for the seaweed species and metals investigated. Maximum coefficients were noted for Mn: 1.8·10⁵; Ti: 4.4·10⁴; Fe: 2.4·10⁴; Cr: 1.2·10⁶.