Trace Metals In Several Edible Marine Algae Of Korea

The present paper deals with nine kinds of trace metal contents among 79 samples, more than 20 species of edible marine algae collected during 1973∼1975 along the coasts of Korea. Among the metals detected by the atomic absorption spectrometer, Mg content is variable in 2.09∼13.84mg/g-dry on an average and 5.31mg/g-dry in a mean of green, brown and red algae, whereas Fe is 0.148∼2.343 and 0.747mg/g-dry; Mn 0.015∼0.191 and 0.063mg/g-dry; Zn 0.007∼0.082 and 0.030 mg/g-dry; Cu 0.005∼0.054 and 0.017mg/g-dry; Pb 0.0017∼0.082 and 0.0043mg/g-dry Co 0.0009∼0.0024 and 0.0016mg/g-dry; Cd 0.0002∼0.0034 and 0.0011mg/g-dry, and Cr is 0.0007∼0.0074 and 0.0021mg/g-dry, both on an average and in a mean respectively. The trace metal contents in the seaweeds investigated are variable according to species, collecting seasons, places and kinds of metal It is interesting that in Sargassum thunbergii some metal contents such as Fe, Mn, and Zn are specially high in September1974 through the year investigated.