Metals accumulation in edible marine algae collected from Thondi coast of Palk Bay, Southeastern India

This study aimed to monitor the concentrations of metals including Cd, Pb, Cu and Zn in commercially important and commonly edible brown, red and green algal species collected from Thondi coast, southeast India. Green seaweed Chaetomorpha linum contained higher (Cd- 8.51 mg kg(-1), Pb- 5.24 mg kg(-1), Cu- 15.38 mg kg(-1), and Zn- 22.34 mg kg(-1)) concentrations of metals than other tested seaweed samples. The concentrations of metals significantly varied within and between the investigated species of seaweed samples (P < 0.05). It was revealed that Cd, Pb, Cu and Zn metals were present in the species of seaweeds at different concentration. The residual levels of metals were less than the maximum allowable levels specified for human consumption compared to PTWI5, JECFA, FAO/WHO, FSSAI and EC. This study suggested that exposure to the analysed metals (Cd, Pb, Cu and Zn) through seaweeds consumption does not raise serious health effects to consumers and it is safe for human consumption. (C) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.