Abstract
The content of 21 chemical elements in four types of macrophytes collected on the coast of Lake Baikal in the Irkutsk region in 2020–2021 was studied. The article discusses the features of the elemental composition of biogenic elements and the accumulation of heavy metals in higher aquatic plants growing in the bays, which experience high summer recreational pressure. In summer, macrophytes of the lake Baikal perform the function of a natural biofilter, depositing biogenic elements and toxic substances from the catchment area. The studied species of Potamogeton pectinatus L., Potamogeton perfoliatus L., Myriophyllum spicatum L., Polygonum amphibium (L.) S.F. Grey., Elodea canadensis Michx can serve as indicators of eutrophication of water bodies. It was established that no excess of MPC was observed in the objects of study. The experiment can serve as a justification for the use of the XRF method (X-ray fluorescence analysis) as a means of monitoring the state of coastal ecosystems. The results of the study are important for creating an information base for chemical monitoring and decision-making to prevent the negative consequences of tourism and the environmental safety of Lake Baikal.