Sains Malaysiana 44(2)(2015): 203–210

Tropical Seagrass as a Bioindicator of Metal Accumulation

(Rumput Laut Tropika sebagai Penunjuk Biologi Pengumpulan Logam)

FARIDAHANIM AHMAD, SHAMILA AZMAN*, MOHD ISMID MOHD SAID

& LAVANIA-BALOO

Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Civil Engineering

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 Skudai, Johor Darul Takzim, Malaysia

Received: 10 December 2013/Accepted: 5 August 2014

ABSTRACT

Seven species of tropical seagrass found at seagrass bed located in Johor, Malaysia were analysed for As, Cu and Cd accumulation. The species were identified as Enhalus acoroides, Halophila minor, Halophila spinulosa, Halophila ovalis, Thalassia hemprichii, Halodule uninervis and Cymodocea serrulata. Seagrass plant is rapidly becoming one of the methods to determine the overall health condition of aquatic environment. Each seagrass samples were collected and divided into three parts i.e roots, rhizomes and leaves. Samples were grinded, digested and the correlation between each part was analysed using SPSS version 16. Each part of seagrass tissues have the ability to assimilate metals for example the concentration of As, Cu and Cd in tropical seagrass were in the range of 5-48, 6-60 and 10-69 μg/gDW, respectively. Halophila minor and Halophila ovalis indicates positive correlations to translocate metals (As, Cu and Cd) in plants parts (leaves-rhizomes, rhizomes-roots and roots-leaves). Seagrass can accumulate metals depending on pollution that occur, seasonal variation and internal capabilities to translocate metals. The seagrass species especially Halophila ovalis and Halophila minor can act as bioindicator for metal pollution.

Keywords: Bioindicator; metal contamination; seagrass

ABSTRAK

Tujuh spesies rumput laut tropika yang dijumpai di beting rumput laut yang terletak di Johor, Malaysia telah dianalisis untuk pengumpulan logam As, Cu dan Cd. Spesies yang dikenal pasti adalah Enhalus acoroides, Halophila minor, Halophila spinulosa, Halophila ovalis, Thalassia hemprichii, Halodule uninervis dan Cymodocea serrulata. Rumput laut boleh dijadikan sebagai salah satu kaedah untuk menentukan keadaan kesihatan keseluruhan persekitaran akuatik. Setiap sampel rumput laut dikumpulkan dan dibahagikan kepada tiga bahagian iaitu akar, rizom dan daun. Sampel dikisar, dicerna dan korelasi antara setiap bahagian telah dianalisis menggunakan perisian SPSS versi 16. Setiap bahagian tisu rumput laut mempunyai keupayaan untuk mengasimilasikan logam contohnya keputusan menunjukkan kepekatan As berada dalam julat 5-48 μg/gDW, Cu dalam julat 6-60 μg/gDW dan Cd dalam julat 10-69 μg/gDW. Halophila minor dan Halophila ovalis menunjukkan korelasi positif untuk memindahkan logam (As, Cu dan Cd) pada tumbuhan (daun-rizom, akar rizom dan akar-daun). Rumput laut tropika boleh mengumpul logam bergantung kepada pencemaran yang berlaku, perbezaan musim dan keupayaan dalaman rumput laut untuk memindahkan logam. Spesies rumput laut terutama Halophila ovalisdan Halophila minor boleh dijadikan sebagai petunjuk biologi.

Kata kunci: Pencemaran logam; penunjuk biologi; rumput laut

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*Corresponding author; email: shamila@utm.my