Abstract

In this study we compared the accumulation of eight metals and two metalloids in the growing tips and the remaining shoot tissue of three species of brown seaweeds commonly used in biomonitoring studies (Fucus ceranoides, Fucus spiralis and Ascophyllum nodosum). Regression analysis of the data obtained showed that there was no statistically significant difference in accumulation in numerous cases; although most of the relationships were significant, many of the coefficients of determination were low. However, the concentrations of Mn and Zn in the growing tips were closely related to the concentrations in the rest of the tissue in all three species, possibly due to redistribution of these elements. Interspecies differences in bioconcentration of the elements may be partly explained by differences in the relative growth rates.