The concentrations of rare earth elements (REE) were determined by ICP-MS in dominant seaweed species, collected from three locations of the northwestern Mediterranean Sea. This is the first study to define levels and patterns of REE in macro algae from these coastal areas. Rare elements are becoming emerging inorganic contaminants in marine ecosystems, due to their worldwide increasing applications in industry, technology, medicine and agriculture. Significant inter-site and interspecies differences were registered, with higher levels of REE in brown and green macro algae than in red seaweeds. Levels of light REE were also observed to be greater compared to heavy REE in all samples. One of the investigated locations (Bergeggi, SV) had higher REE and ΣREE concentrations, probably due to its proximity to an important commercial and touristic harbor, while the other two sites were less affected by anthropogenic contaminations, and showed comparable REE patterns and lower concentrations. Capsule: Rare earth elements in seaweeds.

A first report of rare earth elements in northwestern Mediterranean seaweeds

BATTUELLO, MARCO;NURRA, Nicola;MUSSAT SARTOR, ROCCO;PESSANI, Daniela;
2017-01-01

Abstract

The concentrations of rare earth elements (REE) were determined by ICP-MS in dominant seaweed species, collected from three locations of the northwestern Mediterranean Sea. This is the first study to define levels and patterns of REE in macro algae from these coastal areas. Rare elements are becoming emerging inorganic contaminants in marine ecosystems, due to their worldwide increasing applications in industry, technology, medicine and agriculture. Significant inter-site and interspecies differences were registered, with higher levels of REE in brown and green macro algae than in red seaweeds. Levels of light REE were also observed to be greater compared to heavy REE in all samples. One of the investigated locations (Bergeggi, SV) had higher REE and ΣREE concentrations, probably due to its proximity to an important commercial and touristic harbor, while the other two sites were less affected by anthropogenic contaminations, and showed comparable REE patterns and lower concentrations. Capsule: Rare earth elements in seaweeds.
2017
122
1-2
236
242
www.elsevier.com/locate/marpolbul
Mediterranean Sea; Pollution tracers; REE; Seaweeds; Oceanography; Aquatic Science; Pollution
Squadrone, Stefania; Brizio, Paola; Battuello, Marco; Nurra, Nicola; MUSSAT SARTOR, Rocco; Benedetto, Alessandro; Pessani, Daniela; Abete, Maria Cesar...espandi
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
rare elements_def.pdf

Accesso aperto

Tipo di file: POSTPRINT (VERSIONE FINALE DELL’AUTORE)
Dimensione 1.48 MB
Formato Adobe PDF
1.48 MB Adobe PDF Visualizza/Apri

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2318/1648208
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? 1
  • Scopus 35
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 33
social impact