Toxic and Trace Elements in Seaweeds from a North Atlantic Ocean Region (Tenerife, Canary Islands)

Soraya Paz, Carmen Rubio-Armendáriz, Inmaculada Frías, Fernando Guillén-Pino, Daniel Niebla-Canelo, Samuel Alejandro-Vega, Ángel J. Gutiérrez, Arturo Hardisson and Dailos González-Weller
Additional contact information
Soraya Paz: Toxicology Area, University of La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, 38071 La Laguna, Spain
Carmen Rubio-Armendáriz: Toxicology Area, University of La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, 38071 La Laguna, Spain
Inmaculada Frías: Legal and Forensic Medicine Area, University of La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, 38071 La Laguna, Spain
Fernando Guillén-Pino: Legal and Forensic Medicine Area, University of La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, 38071 La Laguna, Spain
Daniel Niebla-Canelo: Toxicology Area, University of La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, 38071 La Laguna, Spain
Samuel Alejandro-Vega: Toxicology Area, University of La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, 38071 La Laguna, Spain
Ángel J. Gutiérrez: Toxicology Area, University of La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, 38071 La Laguna, Spain
Arturo Hardisson: Toxicology Area, University of La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, 38071 La Laguna, Spain
Dailos González-Weller: Health Inspection and Laboratory Service, Canary Health Service, S/C de Tenerife, Tenerife, Canary Islands, 38006 La Laguna, Spain

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 10, 1-13

Abstract: Canary Islands is a North Atlantic Ocean archipelago in the Macaronesian region that stand out for its great algae diversity and its climatic conditions. However, even in this low industrialised area, human activities tend to increase the marine pollution. Asparagopsis spp. and Liagora spp. algae are red algae frequent in the Canary Islands’ coasts. Therefore, they could be used as bio-indicators of marine pollution for trace elements. A total of 30 samples of both algae’s species from Tenerife’s southern coast, specifically in Playa Grande, Porís de Abona, in Arico (Tenerife, Spain) were used to determine trace element content (Mn, B, Ba, Cu, Cd, Co, Fe, Li, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sr, V, Zn, Al, Cr) through inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP—OES). Highest Fe concentrations were found in Liagora spp. concentrations (1190 ± 1545 mg/kg dw) and Al (288 ± 157 mg/kg dw) was more significant in Asparagopsis spp. High concentrations of B were also registered in both species 80.2 ± 34.2 mg/kg dw and 77.9 ± 34.2 mg/kg dw, respectively. The recorded concentrations show a high contamination scenario in the collected area. Porís is known by its marine diversity and by its higher pollution levels, compared with other locations of Tenerife, due to the currents present on the Canary Island and its singular north orientation, actions must be taken to reduce pollution.

Keywords: trace elements; macroalgae; environmental risk; Canary Islands; marine pollution (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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