Assessment of ecological state of the Posyet Bay (the Sea of Japan) by heavy metals content in brown algae
The paper contains the study of heavy metals in three species - Sargassum miyabei , Sargassum pallidum , Cystoseira crassipes in the coastal waters of the Posyet Bay. The analysis of the spatial distribution of trace elements revealed the highest contents of zinc, copper and nickel in the Troitsa Bight, due to recreational pressure and a high concentration of nickel and cadmium in Sivuchya Bight that was caused by transboundary atmospheric transport. All of detected concentrations exceed natural background values for the North-Western part of the Sea of Japan. The authors show that there has been a distinct change in the environmental situation in the the Posyet Bay since 1998: the concentration of lead has sharply decreased, the content of zinc, copper and cadmium has decreased, it could be connected with influence reduction in the free economic zone, located on the Chinese side on the Tumannaya River.