This paper studies the levels of trace metals (Fe, Mg, Zn and Cu) in Sargassam wightii, and Ulva reticulata from Kanniyakumari and Vellar estuary. The accumulation of trace metals was in the order of Mg > Fe > Zn > Cu in both species of algae. For both the species, Mg recorded a maximum value, whereas Ca recorded the minimum. In S. wightii the highest value recorded in Mg was (65.04 ± 1.1 ppm) and the lowest in Cu was (1.448 ± 0.01 ppm) on dry weight basis. In U. reticulata, the maximum accumulation of Mg was (135.3 ± 1.9 ppm) and minimum of Cu was (0.446 ± 0.002 ppm). Comparing the two species of algae, U. reticulata showed the accumulation of higher concentrations because of the estuarine environment.

Water pollution by heavy metals in industrial waste effluents is now a global problem (Jana, 1988). The non-degradability of inorganic pollutants like heavy metals causes hazards when they are discharged into a water body. The main sources of heavy metal pollution are mining, milling, and surface finishing industries, that discharge a variety of toxic metals into the environment (Figueira et al., 2000). Industrial effluents may be discharged directly into the sea or into waterways or sewers, but whatever the disposal route, these constitute an important source of contamination to the environment (Srivastav et al., 1994).

Studies on trace metal distribution in marine macroalgae have received considerable attention in recent years because of their usefulness in metal pollution monitoring in coastal waters. Marine algae have a great potential as biological monitors of metal contamination in aquatic environments because of their ability to concentrate metals from dilute aqueous solutions. Variations in the concentrations of metals in algae, are often taken to reflect the metal concentration in the surrounding water. As indicators of metal contamination, marine algae gather a number of advantages over water or sediment analysis while satisfying many basic requirements for a suitable biological indicator (Phillips, 1977). The knowledge of trace metal levels in marine algae is a basic requirement for their use as biological indicators of metal pollution. Hence, the present study was undertaken with the objective of estimating the trace metals such as Mg, Fe, Zn, and Cu in two species of estuarine and marine macroalgae from Vellar estuary and Kanniyakumari on the southeast coast of India respectively.

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