Health risk assessment and potentiality of green seaweeds on bioaccumulation of trace elements along the Palk Bay coast, Southeastern India

Bioaccumulation of metals in ten species of green seaweeds collected along the Palk Bay was assessed in the present study. The accumulation of metals in all the ten species were in the order of Pb > Cu > Zn > Cd. Cd was recorded above the permissible level, and Pb, Cu and Zn were below the permissible level of CEQG. The metal concentration in seaweeds was above the WHO standards. The permissible levels of metals were compared with the standards of human health risk assessment, which shows that the exposure of metals from seaweeds has moderate hazard risk to humans. The result of trace element accumulation in four seasons was in the order of summer > monsoon > pre-monsoon > post monsoon. One-way ANOVA revealed that Cd and Pb show significant differences (p(<)0.01) in all the species. Cu showed significant variation (p(<)0.01) in all the four seasons. Zn also showed significant difference (p(<)0.01) during pre-monsoon season.