Assessment of Trace Metal Accumulation in Green Algae Ulva from the South Eastern Coast of Tunisia

Ali Annabi^1*, Ahlem Zrig², Kaouthar Jeddi³ and Basel Saleh⁴

¹Département des Sciences de la vie, Faculté des Sciences de Gabès, Université de Gabès, Tunisia

²Research Unit of Biodiversity and Valorization of Bioresources in Arid Zones, Faculty of Sciences of Gabes, Tunisia

³UR Biodiversité & Dynamique des Ecosystèmes en Milieu Aride, Université de Sfax, Faculté des Sciences de Sfax, Tunisia

⁴Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, AECS, P.O. Box 6091, Damascus, Syria

*Corresponding Author : Ali Annabi
Ecologie de la faune terrestre UR17ES44, Département des Sciences de la vie, Facultédes Sciences de Gabes, Université de Gabes, Tunisie
Tel: (216) 75 392 600
Fax: (216) 75 392 421
E-mail: medannabi@yahoo.fr; Ali.Annabi@isbm.rnu.tn

Received: April 06, 2018 Accepted: May 09, 2018 Published: May 15, 2018

Citation: Annabi A, Zrig A, Jeddi K, Saleh B (2018) Assessment of Trace Metal Accumulation in Green Algae Ulva from the South Eastern Coast of Tunisia. J Mar Biol Oceanogr 7:2. doi: 10.4172/2324-8661.1000193

Assessment of Trace Metal Accumulation in Green Algae Ulva from the South Eastern Coast of Tunisia

In the present study we aimed to assess the heavy metal accumulation (Fe, Zn, Cu, Pb, Cd and Mn) in Ulva lactuca thalli, as well as in sediments and seawater. Samples were collected from three sites along the southeastern coastline of Tunisia (S1: Dkhila coast, S2: Zarrat, and S3: Gulf of Gabes). The data obtained showed different patterns of metal accumulation. In fact, samples collected from Dkhila (S1) accumulated the highest Cd levels compared to the other sites. Regarding Zn, the S3 and S2 sites displayed the highest accumulation amounts in the following decreasing order: sediment>seawater>algae. For Cu, S1 showed the most significant concentrations according to this order: sediment>seawater>algae followed by S3 seawater. Likewise, data showed that Ulva thalli accumulated high levels of Fe for all sites. Taken together, these data demonstrate that the Gulf of Gabes accumulates the largest amount of Zn in sediments, whereas the highest levels of Cd were found in Dkhila coast, particularly in algae and sediments.