The northern part of James Ross Island is the largest deglaciated area in the Antarctic Peninsula region with a unique ecosystem created during the Late Glacial. This research aims to evaluate the degree of contamination of the locality with toxic metals (As, Hg, Cd, and Pb) through bioindicators in the aquatic environment-colonies of cyanobacteria and algae. For this purpose, bottom lake sediments of Big Lachman Lake were studied for contents of Fe, As, Hg, Cd, Pb, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, and Zn, as well as samples of cyanobacterial mat, in which Fe, As, Hg, Cd, and Pb were determined. Metal contents were determined by means of inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry and atomic absorption spectrometry. The contents of metals in sediments did not differ from the usual values in the area of the Antarctic Peninsula. The bioaccumulation of metals in cyanobacterial mat was evaluated by calculating enrichment factors (the calculation to Fe as a reference element). According to this method, moderate pollution of Big Lachman Lake was confirmed for Hg and Cd.

Agrovyzkum Rapotin Ltd Výzkumníků 267 788 13 Vikýřovice Czech Republic

Department of Chemistry Faculty of Science Masaryk University Kotlářská 2 61137 Brno Czech Republic

Department of Public Health Faculty of Medicine Masaryk University Kamenice 5 62500 Brno Czech Republic

Institute of Analytical Chemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences Veveří 97 60200 Brno Czech Republic

Institute of Geology of the Czech Academy of Sciences Rozvojová 269 165 02 Prague 6 Czech Republic

Institute of Geotechnics Faculty of Civil Engineering Brno University of Technology Veveří 95 602 00 Brno Czech Republic

Institute of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics of the Czech Academy of Sciences Centre Telč Prosecká 809 76 190 00 Prague 9 Czech Republic

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