Mussels and algae as bioindicators for long-term tendencies of element pollution in marine ecosystems

Results of more than ten years of experience in the determination of metals in mussels and algae collected in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea are presented. The various elements determined here are Hg, As, Se, Cd, Pb, Cu, Na, K, S, P, Zn, Mn, Fe, Sr, Ca, Ba, Mg, Tl, Ni, Co using techniques such as cold vapor AAS, INAA, hydride generation AAS, electrothermal AAS, ICP-AES, IDMS and stripping voltammetry. The results indicate the occurrence of three groups of elements with respect to long-term tendencies of their concentrations. In the first group, the concentrations in both mussels and algae varied in the same manner; in the second group no change was observed in either matrix while in the third group, the concentrations of elements changed in an opposite manner.