1Department of Chemistry, Holy Cross College, Nagercoil – 629 004, India
2Centre for Marine Science and Technology, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Rajakkamangalam – 629 520, India
3Department of Chemistry and Research Centre, Scott Christian College, Nagercoil – 629 003, India
*Corresponding Author E-mail: pmarysaroja@gmail.com
Online published on 19 June, 2014.
Trace element content in an edible red marine macroalgae, Gracilaria edulis collected from four locations (Arockiapuram, Kadiapattinam, Kurumpanai and Mandapam) along the southern coast of Tamil Nadu, India were determined by using the Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrophotometer (ICP-OES) following the methodology proposed in AOAC (1995). Trace element content in G. edulis were 8.020 ± 4.560 – 33.218 ± 27.979 μg/g for aluminium, 0.024± 0.010 -0.043 ± 0.017 for cadmium, 0.032 ± 0.012 μg/g -0.057± 0.026 μg/g for cobalt, 0.412 ± 0.123 -0.757± 0.091 μg/g for chromium, 0.292 ± 0.186 -0.655 ± 0.169 μg/g for copper, 1.000 ± 0.794 -3.630 ± 1.146 μg/g for manganese, 0.246 ± 0.036 -0.377 ± 0.125 μg/g for nickel, 0.029 ± 0.026 -0.153 ± 0.057 μg/g for lead and 1.317 ± 0.377 -2.630 ± 0.874 μg/g for zinc. The trace elements such as Al, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn in the samples collected from the study locations were found in the order of Al > Zn > Mn> Cr > Cu > Ni > Pb> Co > Cd. The mean concentrations of trace elements except cadmium were also recorded much below the quantity of daily intake recommended by FAO/WHO. Besides, some of the trace elements indicated seasonal and locational variation.
Trace elements, Gracilaria edulis, Mean concentration, Locational variation, Seasonal variation
