ALGAE AS A SOURCE OF INFORMATION ON SURFACE WATERS CONTAMINATION WITH HEAVY METALS

This paper is a synthetic set of information that relate to the goals and directions of research linked with the use of algae for the assessment of contamination of surface water by heavy metals. The presented examples concern the use of algae in biomonitoring of aquatic ecosystems, which in many countries, including Poland became a permanent part of an integrated environmental monitoring. The paper discuss the results of research carried out in situ, whose aim was to assess the contamination of selected aquatic ecosystems by heavy metals based on the chemical composition of thalluses, as well as the identification of potential sources of these analytes. The analysis of the research results referred to in the cited literature was supported by the conclusions of the research of their own.