Heavy metals accumulation in seagrasses collected from Palk Bay, South-eastern India

Abstract Metals such as Cd, Pb, Cu and Zn were analysed in five seagrass species from five locations of the Palk Bay coast of south-eastern India. The maximum Cd concentration (2.83 ± 0.08 μg g−1) was recorded in Syringodium isoetifolium on the Mallipattinam coast in the post-monsoon season, and the Cu (29.54 ± 1.03 μg g−1) in Enhalus acoroides of the Thondi coast during monsoon season. The maximum concentrations of Pb (3.12 ± 0.14 μg g−1) and Zn (52.66 ± 0.88 μg g−1) were observed in S. isoetifolium and Cymodoceae rotundata on the Devipattinam and Karangadu coasts, respectively, during the monsoon season. The metal concentrations obtained in different seagrass species varied significantly among species, and no clear monsoon season had a clear effect on the accumulation of heavy metals in the investigated seagrass species. S. isoetifolium has higher capacity for Cd and Pb accumulation than other tested seagrass species.