ARSENIC IN SEAWEEDS OF COASTAL NEW ENGLAND

Seaweeds hyperaccumulate arsenic and final concentrations can reach 100 mg/kg dry weight. Many species of seaweed transform inorganic arsenic to less toxic arsenosugars although the exact biochemical mechanism is not known. In some seaweeds inorganic arsenic remains the most prevalent form. Here we present data for a range of seaweeds from New England waters and explore the range of arsenic concentration and the form of arsenic as a function of seaweed species and the environment where the seaweed was harvested.