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Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the potential of the two seaweeds, Kappaphycus sp. and Sargassum sp. to phytoextract Mercury in contaminated sites of Sibutad, Zamboanga del Norte and Sapang Dalaga, Misamis Occidental. Water, sediments and seaweed samples were collected during low tide in the intertidal zone of the two sampling sites. Samples were prepared in the Chemistry Laboratory of Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology, Iligan City. Mercury analyses of the prepared samples were conducted in the First Analytical Services and Technical Laboratory following the standard procedure American Public Health Association- American Water Works Association (APHA-AWWA) 3112 Cold Vapor Atomic Spectrometry. The results showed that Mercury was present in all the samples. Water samples collected from Sibutad and Sapang Dalaga were found to contain 59.67 ppb and 11.0 ppb of Mercury respectively. Kappaphycus sp. and Sargassum sp. were found to accumulate Mercury concentration in the two sampling stations in which Sargassum sp. were found to contain the highest concentration of 123.0 ppb in Sibutad station where the active gold mining activity is situated. Bioaccumulation Factor (BAF) of the two seaweeds are greater than one which means that these seaweeds can be used to remove Mercury in contaminated water. Therefore, Kappaphycus sp. and Sargassum sp. are potential for phytoextraction of Mercury in contaminated sites of Sibutad, Zamboanga del Norte and Sapang Dalaga, Misamis Occidental.

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