The distribution and accumulation of chromium in the water, sediment and macrophytes of Skadar lake

Abstract

ABSTRACT. The aquatic macrophytes Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud., Ceratophyllum demersum L., and Lemna minor L. were used as bioindicator plant species in order to define contamination level by Cr in Skadar lake (Montenegro). Plants, water and sediments were tested for the content of Cr at six locations around Lake Skadar during four periods in 2011. The content of Cr in the examined sediment was in the range of 35.6-127 mg/kg dry weight. The largest proportion of detected Cr (50.6%) was associated with the oxidizable phase in the form of organic complexes. The concentration of Cr in the studied macrophytes declined in the following order: C. demersum > P. australis > L. minor. The highest average content of Cr was detected in the leaf of C. demersum (11.4 mg/kg) in April.

Potential role of Ceratophyllum demersum in bioaccumulation and tolerance of some heavy metals

“…The metals are deposited in the bottom sediments and from there may be transferred to plants and the aquatic food chain (Rai, 2009;Mazej et al, 2010). Their common property is that even at relatively low concentrations their effects are toxic and therefore they fall under the category of very dangerous environmental pollutants (Kastratović et al, 2016).…”

“…Heavy metals are a major of water pollutants concern because of their persistent and tendency to be concentrated in aquatic organisms (Chang et al, 2009;Yadav et al, 2009). The most commonly heavy metals found in wastewater arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, nickel and zinc, all of which cause risks for human health and the environment (Jӓrup, 2003;Kastratović et al, 2016).…”