Metal-specific accumulation patterns and tissue partitioning of Pb and Cd in Avicennia marina from a tropical mangrove ecosystem.

This study assessed Pb and Cd contamination and tissue-specific bioaccumulation in Avicennia marina from a tropical mangrove ecosystem in Makassar, Indonesia. Water, sediment, root, and leaf samples were collected from two stations and analyzed using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Bioconcentration factor, translocation factor, ANOVA, Pearson correlation, heatmap, and principal component analysis were applied to evaluate environmental occurrence, tissue partitioning, and station-level patterns. The observed concentration patterns suggested higher local metal contamination at Station 1 than Station 2. Cd showed comparable or higher concentrations in leaves than in roots, with mean translocation factors of 1.166 and 1.060 at Stations 1 and 2 respectively. These findings provide site-specific evidence of Pb and Cd partitioning and biomonitoring potential within the studied mangrove ecosystem. In contrast, Pb was strongly retained in roots, with low mean translocation factors of 0.080 and 0.076. Mean Pb bioconcentration factors exceeded 1 at both stations, while Cd bioconcentration factor exceeded 1 only at Station 1. Multivariate analyses supported a more coordinated root-leaf pattern for Cd and a stronger root-dominant pattern for Pb. These findings indicate that A. marina provides metal-specific biomonitoring signals, with roots being more informative for Pb exposure and combined root-leaf analysis being more suitable for Cd monitoring in tropical mangrove systems.