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DISTRIBUTION OF ELEMENTS IN MARINE ALGAE OF KARACHI COAST

MUHAMMAD AFZAL RIZVI1 AND MUSTAFA SHAMEEL

Abstract: Seventeen species of green, brown and red seaweeds collected from Manora, Buleji and Paradise Point near Karachi coast of Pakistan were analyzed for their elemental composition with the help of Perkin Elmer 3100 Atomic Absorption Spectrometer. Several significant elements e.g., Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Na, Pb and Zn were detected quantitatively. Ca, Fe, K, Mg and Na were found in large amounts (223.79-13129.56 ppm), Cr, Cu, Pb and Zn were present in small quantities (1.27-10.49 ppm), while Cd and Co were detected in extremely small amounts (0.39-1.10 ppm). The average quantity of Na was found to be the highest among these algae (13129.56 ppm), followed by K (11655.71 ppm) and Ca (4242.17 ppm) with low quantity of Cr (1.27 ppm), Co (1.10 ppm) and Cd (0.39 ppm).

Department of Botany, University of Karachi, Karachi-75270, Pakistan.